Is This What You Want? superstar backing musicians, saying, "they're always talkin' about who's on the album and not the album itself." Writing in "ZigZag" in July 1974, Andy Childs advised the magazine's readers: "it's worth its weight in gold, so if it's absent from your collection, add it to your shopping list of second-hand records." Greenfield and Childs both recognised Harrison's "Sour Milk Sea" as a highlight of the album. Richie Unterberger of AllMusic offers a less favourable opinion of "Is This What You Want?", describing Lomax as "a passable but unarresting singer and songwriter". Unterberger identifies the best moments as the "Beatlesque" songs
What is this Feeling? Through Life", Galinda's loathing of Elphaba is manifested yet again when, in order to embarrass her in front of everyone at the Ozdust Ballroom, she presents her with a pointed black hat, clearly representative of those traditionally associated with witchcraft, that Galinda received from her grandmother. However, Galinda's conscience soon starts to get the better of her, and in her remorse she approaches Elphaba with an invitation to dance, culminating in the pair eventually becoming friends in "Popular". Stephen Schwartz meant the song's title and lyrics to be an ironic parody on love songs ("What is this feeling so sudden