Gravel & Gold is Bentley's first studio album in almost five years since 2018's The Mountain. In between, he released two standalone singles, "Gone" and "Beers on Me", which peaked at numbers two and one on the BillboardCountry Airplay chart, respectively, and were not included on an album.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote, "Throughout the record, Bentley sounds relaxed and cozy in his comfort zone, and that sense of ease, when combined with the occasional barn burner, such as the jocular bluegrass closer 'High Note'[...]is a recipe for a good time."[3]