 James Montgomery of MTV News compared the song’s heavier sound to that of the band’s second studio album, "Dude Ranch" (1997), and the band’s 2003 track "Stockholm Syndrome".Jason Lipshutz of "Billboard" opined that the song's lyrics, namely "Take off the gloves / We fell in love by the side of the road / This desert will break you down" reference a "souring romance set in Las Vegas.