Produced by Mark Tucker, Wake the Union is a crossover between English folk music and Americana and is a non-narrative concept album about the two countries.

[7] UK Folk Music noted that "with more than a touch of Americana liberally sprinkled throughout the recording and images of Dust Bowl tumbleweed blowing about courtesy of sampled instruments," the album could provide the band an American breakthrough.

[8] Northern Sky observed that although Knightley is known for his "distinctly English songs, the material on Wake the Union tends to straddle the border of what we now know as Americana in places, but with the band's British acoustic roots still showing.

"[9] The Financial Times said the album shows the duo return with "less anger and more music ranging from jazz shuffles to slide guitar baiting".

"[4] David Kidman of NetRhythms has said that the album contains "acerbic topical and social commentary through historical storytelling to evocative Americana, throwing in traditional-style folk-romance, matters of the heart and work arising from special projects along the way, all the while meaningfully interweaving key influences and inspirations yet making the resultant creations uniquely their own.

"[11] The album features numerous guest musicians, including the duo's unofficial "third member" Miranda Sykes on double bass and vocals, alongside Martin Simpson, Seth Lakeman, BJ Cole, Andy Cutting, Bellowhead's Paul Sartin, Cormac Byrne and Leonard Podolak.

[8] It features a jazz shuffle that has been compared to Richard Thompson,[10] and has been described as a lyrical continuation of the themes from Arrogance Ignorance and Greed.

[4] The BBC said that "Maria allows her song to be recorded and her history told, but is uneasy about the difference in class between herself and Sharp, and anxious that she shouldn't be the only one to whom the collector talks.

[9] "Home to a Million Thoughts" is a song of "simple wistful nostalgia" written as a commission for the reopening of Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum.

[11] "Who Gets to Feel Good" is a country-waltzer that demonstrates Knightley's" skill in transposing the perils of love to the indigenous American musical idiom".

[16] Knightley also released Songbook 5: Wake the Union in 2013 at the start of his solo tour, a songbook containing all fourteen songs he composed for Wake the Union, as well as material from Covers 2, his solo album Live in Somerset, and The Cuatro Tracks bonus material−seven tracks originally written and arranged for cuatro and ukulele.

The symbols featured vary, such as highway road signs (the signs for U.S. Route 66 and the A303),[4] national flags (the United Kingdom and the United States),[4] other national symbols (such as the Statue of Liberty and the Royal Air Force roundel) as well as folk performers, including Woody Guthrie and his "This machine kills fascists" guitar.

Folk Radio said that a glance at the album cover "leaves no doubt as to [the duo's] intention, there's the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes, Woody Guthrie's guitar still promising to kill fascists, and you can head west on the highway that's the best, that's either Route 66 or the A303, your choice.

But it's maybe less expected from Steve Knightley, many of whose strongest songs resonate with a sense of place that is not just English but quintessentially West Country.

"[4] Northern Sky said that "the cover shot of a well-travelled guitar maps out the journey these songs represent with little or no ambiguity.

BBC Music were positive about the album, saying that "it's unlikely to win over many new fans, but those already under the band's wingspan are, once again, richly rewarded with another thought-provoking collection.

"[12] The Daily Telegraph rated the album with four stars out of five said "The success of Wake The Union is in blending the band's trademark British folk with Americana.

Knightley (part of the trio that includes Phil Beer and double bassist Miranda Sykes) describes it as "a journey through the heart of two landscapes united by a common tongue and musical heritage.

"[21] The Financial Times published a four star review saying "The duo returns with less anger and more music ranging from jazz shuffles to slide guitar baiting.

"[10] Folk Radio said that "Wake the Union comes across as a return not just to their musical roots but also to pleasing this core audience.

In contrast to AIG, and previous album Witness, both Phil and Steve took a full part in the production of Wake the Union, alongside named producer Mark Tucker.

"[4] David Kidman of NetRhythms concluded that "Wake the Union is definitely another milestone in Show Of Hands' already stunningly illustrious career.

"[8] Norman Chalmers's review for The Scotsman singled out "Haunt You" as a song that readers should download and rated the album four stars out of five.