Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine explains "Homegrown, the demo companion to Wasp Star, takes great lengths to show how the songs were written.

He goes on to state "there are a lot of little things that are different, not just in the stated early and alternate versions, but in the final demos, that make this utterly fascinating for the devoted" and "Andy Partridge's brilliant, self-deprecating, funny, revelatory liner notes that help make this already-worthwhile package essential for the collectors who would have bought this album in bootleg form.

"[1] Q's Ian Cranna states "This beautifully packaged set of tidied-up home demos is a fascinating glimpse into the creative process, offering lyrical variations, entertaining snatches of abandoned ideas and experiments, plus that certain vitality which can be difficult to recapture in a studio.

[2] Dan Aquilante in The New York Post states "which collects the demos and rough musical sketches that were to become XTC's acclaimed 2000 album "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol.

While the music is interesting as it evolves, the liner notes feature handwritten lyric notations complete with the mistakes, cross-outs and corrections.