Vocalist and guitarist Andy Yorke and drummer Nigel Powell met while attending school, with the latter later meeting bassist Jason Moulster through mutual friends.

Yorke had been studying Russian literature abroad in Russia; while there, he wrote several songs and subsequently asked Moulster to form a band on his behalf so they could work on the material when he returned.

[5] AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine referred to it as an "alluringly moody record, similar to the epic soundscapes" of Radiohead and the Verve, "only with a bit of a country-rock underpinning".

[6] PopMatters founder Sarah Zupko wrote that it "relies on largely acoustic arrangements and intricate dynamics", with influences from emo and Dog Man Star (1994) by Suede.

[12] Erlewine said Yorke's lyricism can be viewed as "adolescent and the Unbelievable Truth's ambition often outweighs their accomplishments, but the promise they flaunt on their debut proves that they are almost there".

[7] The Independent writer Angela Lewis saw it as a "true beaut of a debut album [...] with 11 arresting songs that eschew everything the Cool Britannia party has to offer".

[5] Tim Mohr of Consumable Online dismissed this comparison, stating that the band "don't sound remotely similar to Radiohead", being more inline with Arnold and Crowded House.

[16] CMJ New Music Monthly's David Jarman wrote that the album "reveals a promising band that doesn't need to ride on anyone's coattails", though did admit that Yorke "shares some vocal tics with his brother – a lilting tenor, a fondness for quivering and hurt phrasing".

[17] Spin writer Tracey Pepper said Yorke "asserts his independence [from his brother Thom] with a more acoustic sound and lyrics far removed from android paranoia.