[2] Mojo gave the album four stars out of five and said, "There's a back-to-basics feel on the mid-tempo country rockers, the slow beauties and mournful lap steel, and even on the musically warm, more upbeat, almost Tex-Mex opening song.

"[2] The Boston Globe gave the album a favorable review and said, "As usual, singer and songwriter Jay Farrar has a few things on his mind, and his lyrics have grown more plain-spoken and potent with time.

"[13] The Phoenix gave it three stars out of four and said, "There's an easiness and directness to these tunes that was missing the last couple of times out, aided by Joe Henry and Ryan Freeland's no-nonsense mix but owing mainly to Farrar's vivid songwriting.

"[14] Filter gave the album 72% (though the magazine mislabeled it as "Central American Dust") and said it "settles for regrettably generic high-plains fiddle and wistful sighs of pedel-steel guitar.

"[17] Other scores are average, mixed or negative: The Austin Chronicle gave the album three stars out of five and called it "seldom uplifting" and that it "still reaffirms Son Volt's pinnacle atop today's American roots rockers.