[1] The Allmusic review by Alex Henderson stated "Lage, who is heard on both acoustic and electric guitar, is appealingly melodic on his own compositions ... Lage is not a jazz purist; this is jazz mixed with elements of rock, folk, and European classical music.

[2] In The Guardian, John Fordham wrote "Gladwell is an invigorating demonstration of how vivid a sound-world can be established by a quintet of acoustic players.

It moves from fast-strummed groovers over which the cello and sax swirl, then turns into busy city nightscapes full of whispering voices, through romantic cafe-music pirouettings (which become demandingly percussive) and finally to delicate, jig-like melodies ... this is an album of quiet character for every kind of listener".

[3] In JazzTimes Bill Beuttler wrote "These days, though, musicians are casting wider nets in their search for new combinations of sounds.

The uptempo set-closer “Telegram” is the flashiest tune on the disc, but Lage throughout is more interested in making music than flaunting technique.