[5] Produced by Lloyd Maines, the album was recorded in Lubbock, Texas, with additional studio work taking place in Austin.

[3] The Washington Post wrote that "Buckner's compelling, dust-streaked voice and his knack for visual detail and unexpected metaphor make him a natural disciple of the Lubbock church, but he's still a novice when it comes to the rites of irreverent humor.

"[14] The Nashville Scene thought that "Buckner’s ghostly, sensual voice is the perfect vehicle for his bittersweet songs of parting and regret—he often sounds like Dwight Yoakam, only less self-conscious and more literate.

"[10] In a 1997 concert review, The New York Times noted the "dark, poetic lining to his sparse songs, an edge that made his album Bloomed one of 1995's most compelling debuts.

"[19] Reviewing a 1999 reissue, Pitchfork wrote that "when Buckner veers closer to traditional folk, he invests his songs with an almost apocalyptic urgency.