[1][2] Writing about the album in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Steve Klinge said, "Bromberg recorded Only Slightly Mad, released by West Chester's Appleseed Recordings, with producer Larry Campbell, who played guitar in Dylan's touring band from 1997 to 2004, and who now runs the studio of the late Levon Helm.

It's a broad mix of blues, bluegrass, folk, and gospel, mostly originals and a few choice covers, with moments of ironic humor, extemporaneous sermonizing, and deeply personal confessions, including a pair of love songs addressed to his wife, Nancy Josephson, the former leader of the Angel Band.

"[3] In American Songwriter, Lee Zimmerman said, "Bromberg doesn't just vary his template, he shakes it up completely.

Aside the album's final three selections, all its entries are covers, songs spanning Big Bill Broonzy and Blind Willie Johnson to David Wiffen, Floyd Cramer and Conway Twitty.

To his credit, Bromberg manages to take ownership of them all... Other songs find him even farther afield; the fiddle frenzy and mandolin plucking that marks the 'Cattle in the Cane / Forked Deer / Monroe's Hornpipe' medley have him turning towards trad, while 'I'll Rise Again' veers towards gospel, not the most likely route for a good Jewish boy from Philly.