Case Oats Last Missouri Exit
Case Oats's Last Missouri Exit arrives as a warm, lived-in alt-country collection that foregrounds place, memory and quiet acceptance. Paste Magazine's review positions the record as a restrained, poetic set of songs that answer the question "is Last Missouri Exit good?" with a clear, evidence-based yes: the album earned an 80/100 consensus score from one professional review, praised for its intimate storytelling and sense of home.
Critics consistently single out “Nora” and “Seventeen” as the best songs on Last Missouri Exit
While opinions are drawn from a single professional review across the critical consensus, the tone is uniformly appreciative: Case Oats (via songwriter Casey Gomez Walker) stakes modest claims that feel authentic rather than performative. For readers searching for a considered Last Missouri Exit review or wondering what the standout tracks are, the record's quiet strengths and tracks like “Nora” and “Seventeen” offer the clearest reasons to press play before diving into full reviews below.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Nora
1 mention
"and then I clicked on “Nora” by Case Oats—again, largely because I felt a moral obligation to support a fellow Casey—and found it was the breath of air I had been looking for."— Paste Magazine
Seventeen
1 mention
"“Seventeen” is pure Kimya Dawson with its up-tempo melody and deadpan talk-singing."— Paste Magazine
Bitter Root Lake
1 mention
"the twang and rhythm of “Bitter Root Lake,” a Dateline-inspired homage to the age-old folk tradition of the murder ballad, calls The Old 97s to mind."— Paste Magazine
and then I clicked on “Nora” by Case Oats—again, largely because I felt a moral obligation to support a fellow Casey—and found it was the breath of air I had been looking for.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Buick Door
Nora
Bitter Root Lake
Kentucky Cave
Seventeen
Wishing Stone
In a Bungalow
Tennessee
Hallelujah
Bluff
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
I found Case Oats to be a warm, lived-in alt-country record that privileges intimate storytelling over flashy invention. Casey Gomez Walker writes with a poet’s economy and a keen eye for place, and on Last Missouri Exit songs like “Nora” and “Seventeen” emerge as clear standouts for their plainspoken hooks and emotional bluntness. The album’s strength is in its sense of home and memory, from the twang of “Bitter Root Lake” to the brittle honesty of “Hallelujah,” each track staking a small, true claim. In short, the best songs on Last Missouri Exit win by saying less and meaning more.
Key Points
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The best song, "Nora," stands out for delivering a breath of air with clear-eyed vocals and buoyant twang.
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The album’s core strength is its warm, lived-in alt-country production that foregrounds memory, place, and plainspoken lyricism.
Themes
