The best songs on Moody, Standard and Poor are the ones that let the Obits indulge in the interplay that's their musical reason to be, and when they lock in on 'You Gotta Lose,' 'I Want Results,' 'Beggin' Dogs,' and 'New August,' they sound like the first really great guitar band to emerge from the indie underground in years.

"[6] Jonah Bayer of Alternative Press said that "With their second full-length, these Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes alumni have peeled back the distorted layers to get to what lies at their core: seasoned songwriting.

Bayer commented that "While Moody, Standard and Poor features everything from surf-inflected rockers ('Everything Looks Better in the Sun') to post-everything spaghetti Westerns ('New August'), the real brilliance lies in the sonic subtleties.

It's all about perfect guitar tones, what frontman Rick Froberg doesn't say and the space Obits give their songs to breathe—even though it's evident it's not for lack of technical ability.

"[8] Christopher Weingarten of The Village Voice remarked that "If 2009's I Blame You was a stripped-down, bratty MC5 tantrum, then follow-up Moody, Standard and Poor is a more focused Wipers implosion.