[1] Awarding the album four stars from AllMusic, David McCreary states, "Intense and enduringly tuneful, The Observatory is a superlative representation of Cadet's artistic maturity and first-rate talent.

"[4] Giving the album four stars for Christianity Today, Russ Breimeier opines, "Listen to Cadet's The Observatory with fresh ears and an open mind – you'll be pleasantly surprised.

"[3] Dave Urbanski, reviewing the album from CCM Magazine, describes, "This quartet makes an incredible leap forward here, leaving its debut's too-derivative pop in the dust.

These 11 varying yet cohesive tunes feature excellent harmonies, thoughtful lyrics, inventive instrumentation and a dual guitar interplay that smartly echoes Matthew Sweet’s best work."

"[8] Awarding the album four stars at Jesus Freak Hideout, John DiBiase says, "Cadet has made impressive progress in the past year, with The Observatory marking a smart step in the right direction in the evolution of this young band.