In a retrospective review, Dave Connolly of AllMusic stated: ""Woke Up with a Monster" is enjoyable in its own right; power pop with the emphasis on power, it's the first Cheap Trick tape in some time that you'd feel comfortable listening to in your car, loud with the windows rolled down. Robin Zander's voice has grown rougher over the years, but it's well suited to the band's harsher sound. Producer Ted Templeman helps Cheap Trick find middle ground between pop hooks and hard rock."