[1] Much darker and more experimental than their previous album Writer's Block, Living Thing expands the sound of the group by taking more cues from hip-hop and electronic music, in particular the work of African electronic funk musician William Onyeabor.

Three singles were eventually released from the album: "Nothing To Worry About," 'It Don't Move Me," and "Lay It Down."

Initial critical response to Living Thing was generally positive.

At Metacritic, the album has received a score of 68 based on 31 reviews.

[12] However, some were unsatisfied with the apparent darker tone of the album as a follow-up to their previous success with Young Folks.