"Michael Wheeler, in his 9/10 review for "Drowned in Sound", praised its "exhilarating, terrifying, heartbreaking, tear jerking, bone-rattling style," Andy Gill in "The Independent" praised the album for containing "no filler at all" and gave it top marks, while Noel Murray of "The A.V.Club" called it "Waits' embrace of a legacy that now includes enshrinement in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," concluding that "for longtime fans it’s a fun reminder of Waits' ability to be a badass when necessary".