[3] Josh Modell of Spin magazine said that on the album the Unthank sisters "sing gorgeously doleful tales inspired by (and frequently taken from) Old English history, rendered in crisp, warm recordings".

[10] David Bevan, reviewing the album for Pitchfork, said of Rachel and Becky Unthank's voices: "The revolving harmonies of 'Canny Hobbie Elliot' are emblematic of how well they can work together.

[11] Graeme Thomson, writing for Uncut, said: "This is a bleakly beautiful record which unfolds slowly... And while there’s a tendency for the songs to merge into one indistinct flow, it seems self-defeating to try to unpick the individual strands of this LP: its strength lies in holding a distinct – and chilly – atmosphere throughout.

"[12] Ben Myers, reviewing Last for The Quietus, said: "When the latest pop fad fades from view, The Unthanks music will continue to resonate down through the generations...

The front cover incorporated an illustration from an 1863 edition of Harper's Weekly by American artist Winslow Homer whose career included painting for two years in the North East of England.