[3] Shear supported the album with a North American tour that included Paula Cole as the opening act.

[10] Guitar Player called Shear "one of few writers to compete with Elvis Costello's verbal virtuosity and unerring ear for hooks.

"[7] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette determined that, "with a voice that at different times has an uncanny resemblance to Jackson Browne and Tom Petty, Shear brings feeling to his often-poignant lyrics.

"[16] Rolling Stone wrote that "A Prayer (For Those Not Here)" "combines a Motown-catchy beat, Beach Boys-style backups and audacious rhymes (theoretically and phonetically) in pop that's as literate as it is melodic.

"[11] AllMusic wrote that "Shear and his crack four-piece band bring out both the charm and depth in the material, steering clear of the sort of production that has stamped a date on some of his recordings in the past.