[13][14] The Guardian deemed Messenger "an album replete with haunting songs, intelligently arranged, particularly 'Life', 'Guess What's Happening' and the title track.

"[19] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch opined that "a lot about Messenger is nondescript or cliched," writing that "since the rhythms are solid, but generally unobtrusive ... the singer and his messages are left to seize the day.

"[20] The Sydney Morning Herald called the album "slick, solidly constructed and immaculately produced, clearly intended to cross over to mainstream listeners.

"[18] The Philadelphia Tribune labeled it "another melodic and lyrically potent musical mix that focuses on culturally conscious reggae and draws on [Luciano's] deeply religious Rastafarian roots and social commitments.

[22] AllMusic wrote that "Messenger trips the light fantastic, gliding across genres, sliding across styles, shifting elegantly amidst the record's many moods, creating a mature album that remains one of Luciano's best.