Sputnikmusic's Adam Downer found the album to be "an amazing, beautiful piece of work" with "some truly sensational anthem-ballads" and "solid tracks in the middle." Downer also said that the middle tracks felt like a "bit of a letdown" when compared to the first and last portions of the album, but concluded that "there is really no terrible track." Yahoo! Music reviewer Rob O'Connor noted that the "emphasis here is more on texture than catharsis," save for the "epic sense of drama of an '80s power ballad" in two of the tracks. He said that Michelle Nolan's vocal appearance serves as "an extra change-up," with the rest of the band "turn 'twee' for a moment of heavenly shuffle" on "Tool Sheds and Hot Tubs".