 Biddulph wrote the use of pop rock driven melodies "ensures they’re not at their worst, but the middling nature of this album means the Chicago veterans are certainly nowhere near their finest".Several critics appreciated the more personal lyrics, as they provided a much-needed reprieve from the aggressively political lyrics found in nearly all of the band's previous albums.Bray felt there was a "winning quality" in listening to the more personal songs as opposed to songs about failed relationships, while Heaney said the more personal songs prove that "a move doesn't have to be loud to be bold".