Reaction to "Doolittle" was positive in general, with the album garnering praise from several major music publications. "NME" writer Edwin Pouncey commented that "the songs on "Doolittle" have the power to make you literally jump out of your skin with excitement". "Q" critic Peter Kane said that "Doolittle"s "carefully structured noise and straightforward rhythmic insistence makes perfect sense". Tim Rolston of "The Daily Telegraph" praised "Doolittle" as "a scintillating rock'n'roll album" and the Pixies' "finest half-hour so far". Several other publications ran positive reviews of the album, including the British music weekly "Record Mirror", "The Philadelphia Inquirer", the "Los Angeles Times", and the "Chicago Tribune". Robert Christgau of "The Village Voice" wrote, "They're in love and they don't know why—with rock and roll, which is heartening in a time when so many college dropouts have lost touch with the verities". However, he concluded that "getting famous too fast could ruin them", while suggesting the lyrics reflect somewhat of a disconnection with "the outside world".