[2] In a similar fashion to Sun Kil Moon's previous album, Admiral Fell Promises (2010), Among the Leaves was recorded primarily by founding member Mark Kozelek on a nylon string guitar, with the assistance of session musicians on certain tracks.

[6] In a positive review, AllMusic's James Christopher Monger stated: "The fifth outing for Mark Kozelek under the Sun Kil Moon moniker follows in the quiet footsteps of 2010's excellent Admiral Fell Promises.

Club's Colleen Powers praised the album's dark lyrical content, writing: " [The song, "Track Number 8", is] a crushing moment, and somehow more bravely biographical than another ballad for an absent woman.

"[8] Similarly, The Observer's Kitty Empire wrote: "[Kozelek] can still drag tears from hardened hacks with his "Song for Richard Collopy", a threnody for his late guitar restorer, whose devastation lies in its affectionate detail.

"[13] Laura Snapes of Pitchfork stated: "[Kozelek] is the kind of talented songwriter that can mostly pull that off; though for a record so spare and simple, Among the Leaves comes off as strangely confrontational.

"[17] Consequence of Sound critic Drew Litowitz wrote: "With 17 tracks, Kozelek proves that he in fact can write a song under the five-minute mark, can be bright and bereaved in equal measure, and can even have a little fun doing this whole music thing.

"[10] Daniel Paton of musicOMH described the album as "a bold, honest and carefree collection that, rather than announcing Kozelek's frustrated retirement, seems set to point to new and exciting musical adventures.

"[20] Slant Magazine reviewer Jesse Cataldo wrote: Among the Leaves may not be the most captivating way to spend 70 minutes, but it's a valuable effort nonetheless, a deeply felt record of one man's never-ending struggle with himself.