Following the mild reception of their fourth album Dear Miss Lonelyhearts and the departure of original drummer Matt Aveiro, the band enlisted former Modest Mouse percussionist Joe Plummer and started work on their next project.

also praised the new additions for their contributions to the various songs throughout the record, concluding that the band "have reinvigorated their sound with a new lineup, elbow grease and a knack for telling interesting stories in a unique voice.

"[13] Mat Smith of Clash praised the album for bringing back the dynamics and techniques heard in Robbers & Cowards only more disciplined, concluding that, "This far into their career, Cold War Kids should be thinking about a greatest hits - 'Hold My Home' is more or less that, given the staple reference points of the band that it covers, and yet it's all new and all the more vibrant for it.

"[10] Haydon Spenceley of Drowned in Sound called the record "a mature, fully-realised piece of work," praising Willett's versatile vocals and the songs for expounding creativity through its instrumentals, saying that "In short, Cold War Kids are several bands at once.

"[12] Colin Fitzgerald of PopMatters was critical of the album's production and songwriting, finding the band trying too hard to emulate previous influences concluding that, "on 'Hold My Home', their attempt is a failure, featuring no virtuosity, no experimentation, no honesty, no power of any kind, just stodgy, empty confidence in place of anything worth saying.