The album received very positive reviews from critics, who praised its consistency and the vocals by singer and guitarist Corin Tucker.

All Hands on the Bad One appeared in several end-of-year lists and received a nomination for Outstanding Music Album at the 12th Annual Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Awards.

All Hands on the Bad One is the follow-up to Sleater-Kinney's highly acclaimed fourth album The Hot Rock, released in 1999.

[4] This criticism was something that singer and guitarist Corin Tucker strongly disagreed with, claiming that The Hot Rock was their least commercial album due to its longer and intricate pieces.

Tucker remarked that they initially wanted her to sing on The Hot Rock, but the idea was ultimately rejected due to the album's complex melodies.

"[4] Kat Iudicello, writing for PopMatters, stated that the song "sports sweet harmonies, a slow anger and soft, low bitterness, and driving steady guitars and drums.

[14] "The Professional" aims at music journalism and contains heavy drum work, while "Ironclad" features "fuzzed-out riffs and pounding fills".

[10] Brent DiCrescenzo of Pitchfork commented that the song "spits wit at expatriates in Paris as Corin rolls her eyes at the type of denizens in The Sun Also Rises.

"[16] The song "All Hands on the Bad One" features guitar riffs that are reminiscent of the band's second album, Call the Doctor.

[23] The song "You're No Rock n' Roll Fun" was released as a single on the same day as the album, featuring an outtake, "Maraca", as the B-side.

[26] Pitchfork reviewer Brent DiCrescenzo described it as the band's most melodic, playful, sarcastic, and punchy album to date.

[16] Kat Iudicello, in her review for PopMatters, said that the album features "lovely harmonies, brilliant drum work, great punk rock guitar riffs, and super-smart lyrics.

"[10] St. Petersburg Times writer Alan Rittner commented, "Sleater-Kinney's confidence and sense of freedom translate into the most relentless instrumental work of the band's career, with no loss in its peerless songcraft.

DiCrescenzo opined that "Corin reveals greater character depth than ever before" while Kitty Empire of NME commented that she "is Siouxsie on 'Youth Decay', a sassy Francophile lover on 'Milkshake n' Honey' and all West Coast beach babe on the immensely pretty 'Leave You Behind'.

"[16][31] Steve Huey, writing for AllMusic, gave high marks to Tucker and Brownstein's guitar interplay as well as Weiss' backing vocals, stating that the band "makes full use of that extra instrument, packing the tracks with lilting three-part harmonies.

"[38] Klein pointed out that "Corin Tucker's Belinda Carlisle vibrato has never sounded better [...], while Carrie Brownstein's straight counterpoint keeps the songs grounded in punk-rock fury.

"[15] In a mixed review, Arion Berger of Rolling Stone magazine noted that Sleater-Kinney "have remade rock aggression as thinking-women's work and handled punk with finesse", but also criticized the writing of some tracks for being "awfully self-conscious for a fifth album.

"[14] In a very favorable review, Garry Mulholland of The Guardian concluded that the album "explains exactly why one US mag called [Sleater-Kinney] the best rock'n'roll band in America.

[42] All Hands on the Bad One also received a nomination for Outstanding Music Album at the 12th Annual Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Awards, but lost to k.d.