Built to Spill accompanied Daniel Johnston at his final two concerts in November 2017;[1] band member Doug Martsch described the two shows as "good" and "weird".

Tim Sendra, writing for AllMusic, said that the album used a "low-key, almost relaxed style with slightly distorted guitars and a loose rhythm section backing Martsch's wistful vocals", while capturing "Johnston's mix of shattering pathos and irresistible melodies" and the "openhearted, almost painfully innocent nature of Johnston's songs".

[5] In Under the Radar, Scott D. Elingburg said that the album was "a combination of perfect pop and indie rock", with "traces of [Johnston's] spirit resid[ing] in every song".

[10] Shawn Donohue in Glide described the covers as "straight ahead renditions" of Johnston's songs and said that the album "succeeds" as a "loving document to a unique songwriter".

[16] By contrast, Chris Rutledge in American Songwriter said that the album "stands as a testament to the songs and to the band reimagining them".