In an interview with Metro Times, Milia described the set of highly melodic power pop songs that constitute the album as a result of shirking music industry expectations and remaining prolific as a writer for purer reasons, saying, "It's the writing part that I still wake up every day and want to do.

"[2] Speaking on-air with them, Milia elaborated: St. Hugo was the Catholic school I attended for 9 years—as Frontier Ruckus is a building I’ve been in for 10 years.

BrooklynVegan called the album "a gorgeous dose of indie folk," as it features lush layers of vocal harmony accompanied by mellotron, trumpet, cello, mandolin, Hammond organ, and pedal steel guitar.

[3] Ghettoblaster Magazine wrote, "His soaring harmonies and impeccable chord changes on these fresh tunes will likely satisfy fans of both Big Star and Gram Parsons.

"[5] Speaking about the record as a whole, Metro Times later wrote: "Alone at St. Hugo reads as a yearbook of Milia’s lifetimes, each one pieced together with glue and popsicle sticks, and the emotional remnants of nearly 10 years of loneliness as a touring artist and an ongoing fascination with the intricacies of familial closeness.