[3] The album exhibits a folkier side of the band than on future releases[citation needed], but some of the tracks on the album showed off a much heavier, more hardcore punk-based side to the band in songs such as "Does it Float", "Mountain Man" and "Bulbs of Passion".

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described Dinosaur as "impressive" and said it had several standout songs.

However, he said the album was overall "uneven" due to the band's apparent struggle to successfully integrate hardcore punk and hard rock with touches of experimental music.

[4] Pitchfork Media ranked the album at 6.2 out of 10, describing it as "a fucking mess" with overly lengthy tracks drawing on too many styles to be consistent.

"Bulbs of Passion" was not featured on the original vinyl LP; it was a b-side to the "Repulsion" single.