Phil McNeil from the NME said that Paul Weller's songwriting "captures that entire teen frustration vibe with the melodic grace and dynamic aplomb of early Kinks and Who".

Brian Harrigan of Melody Maker was equally impressed, remarking that Weller's songs "are anything but an embarrassment" and that "he has a deft touch that places his material on a much higher plateau".

In Record Mirror, Barry Cain opined: "Armed and extremely dangerous The Jam stalk the decrepit grooves... if you don't like them hard luck coz they're gonna be around for a long time...

[10] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said that the band "can put a song together; they're both powerful enough to subsume their sources and fresh enough to keep me coming back for more.

"[13] All tracks are written by Paul Weller, except where notedCredits are adapted from the album's liner notes.