[2] The impetus for the deal was credited in part to Van Morrison, who mentioned the group favorably in an interview with Rolling Stone, which led to interest from multiple labels.

[9] Despite receiving several positive reviews from music critics after the release of the album, neither Comin' Right at Ya nor either of its singles managed to register on the national record charts, which led to United Artists dropping the band.

"[14] Similarly, a short uncredited review in Billboard magazine stated: "San Francisco's hottest new neo-hayseed rockers join the Commander Cody/Dan Hicks sweepstake with delightfully wacked-out flair.

"[15] The Dispatch, a newspaper based in Moline, Illinois, wrote about the record that "it's unbelievable that a group so young can be so talented, they sound like they've been around for years," calling it "a nearly flawless piece of vinyl".

"[11] In another retrospective review, for the website AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine claimed that Comin' Right at Ya saw the group "re-creating the sound of pure country at a time when it often wasn't heard", calling it "one of their best" releases.

The Arizona Republic published a review which stated that "Unlike Commander Cody, who seems to parody much of country and western music, Asleep at the Wheel seem dead serious in pushing these old songs, and while they do swing, most hard rock enthusiasts may find them a bit too corny.