[8] Melissa Auf der Maur contributed backing vocals and bass.

[11] AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Troublizing Ocasek's "best solo album since This Side of Paradise.

Club called it "a vital album that recalls the driving rock of Ocasek's much-loved former group while sounding fresher than many acts currently being passed off as cutting-edge.

"[12] The Sun Sentinel wrote that "Ocasek's music is as lean, gangly and oddly interesting as he is.

"[13] The Baltimore Sun wrote that "even though the twitchy choruses, edgy textures and defiantly unfunky rhythm arrangements evoke the flat, futuristic sound Ocasek conjured with the Cars, not even the presence of synth ace Greg Hawkes makes Troublizing seem second-hand.