"[4] Heather Phares of Allmusic said the song "touches on the side of the band that could be mistaken for a more hopeful Joy Division, if lyrics like 'You wouldn't want an angel watching over you?

"[6] Ian Cohen of Stylus Magazine described the song as "corrosive but ingratiating, backing up [vocalist Matt] Berninger's loopy melodies with little more than spiny, corrugated behind-the-bridge picking and brick-solid godbody drumming from Bryan Devendorf.

"[7] However, Ted Grant of Playlouder said the song, along with album track "Brainy," features "some especially overbearing stickwork and neo-sing-a-long choruses that don't really suit" the band.

The song plays during the opening scene of the film in which the protagonist and a passenger, his brother, sing along to it while driving late at night on a highway in a wooded area.

The National’s lead singer Matt Berninger invites his brother Tom to join the band on tour for the latter's directorial debut.