Critic's Review
Rodney Batdorf, All Music Guide
The Ballads of Bob Carlisle was the third compilation of his early recordings to appear following the success of "Butterfly Kisses," which by most estimations would equal overkill. Nevertheless, all three of the compilations are solid, offering good summations of Carlisle's days before fame. The Ballads of Bob Carlisle contains 12 songs that he recorded with his band Allies, and while The Allies Years offers a more complete overview of his tenure with the group, this is a better collection for fans of "Butterfly Kisses," since most of the songs here are adult contemporary ballads that sound quite similar to his breakthrough.
