Welcome to the North is a post-grunge and space rock album, taking influence from the works of Jane's Addiction, Led Zeppelin and the Stone Roses.

"Welcome to the North" was posted through NME's website, ahead of the release of the album's lead single "Freedom Fighters" on 6 September 2004.

Welcome to the North received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom commented on the production and song quality, while others highlighted the array of musical styles.

Welcome to the North was certified silver in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry a few days after release, and later went gold in early 2005.

[4] The Music toured across this territory with Coldplay; by June 2003, they returned to the UK to start writing material for their next album.

Harvey's grandmother was ill at the time; the decision to go to Atlanta "sound[ed] nice, but not when you’ve been on tour for two years".

[10] Welcome to the North is a post-grunge and space rock album, drawing influences from Strays (2003) by Jane's Addiction, Presence (1976) by Led Zeppelin and Second Coming (1994) by the Stone Roses.

[11] His vocals recall U2 frontman Bono, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Perry Farrell from Jane's Addiction.

[16][17] The electronic nature of their debut had been toned down, as AllMusic reviewer MacKenzie Wilson wrote that the Music's "signature danceable stretch is still there, but it's stripped down for a more thoughtful rock design".

[19] It starts with a Led Zeppelin-esque guitar riff, continuing with tribal rhythm sections, with the title phrase being repeated over a dozen times.

[21] "Freedom Fighters" is centred around a Southern rock guitar riff; Jordan said his drum pattern in it was a rewrite of the one in "The Truth Is No Words", a track from their debut.

[14][20][22] Discussing the song, Jordan said they were in the US while the invasion was occurring, "seeing APC’s driving round the streets with police hanging off".

[19][38] Two versions were released on CD: the first with "Come What May", while the second included "So Low", a Nick McCabe remix of "The People" and the music video for "Freedom Fighters".

[19][43] The CD version came with multiple Copy Control logos on the front and back of the sleeve, while the booklet spread included an essay on how to pirate music.

[14] Drowned in Sound writer Martin Leay found it to be "more varied record [...] with some evidence of a shifting musical direction".

[20] Steve Sutherland of NME the album "sounds colossal and is unafraid to take on the three giants of epic rock - Led Zep, U2 and [the] Music".

[17] Now writer Elizabeth Bromstein also pointed out that it "grows out of the same swirling, Zeppelinesque roots," calling it "more focused, eschewing dancey meandering in favour of a more homogeneous rock discipline".

[64] Pitchfork contributor Joe Tangari wrote that it "actually narrows the band's scope, morphing the Leeds quartet into a nu-Zeppelin pop Dream Theater with a vocalist that sounds a lot like [...] a cartoon of Geddy Lee".

[62] Stylus Magazine's Nick Southall, however, complimented O'Brien's work for providing them a "more expensive, professional sound, just as massive and frenetic as the wilful teenage strafing they used to create".

[27] David M. Goldstein of Cokemachineglow noted that while it "does offer some evidence of improved songwriting" over the band's first album, "it’s hardly going to convert any non-believers".

[31] The Boston Phoenix's Mikael Wood said it was full of "economy-sized riffs in search of songs and outdated glowstick atmospherics with nowhere to party".

[65] Welcome to the North peaked at number eight on the UK Albums Chart, where it was certified silver four days after release, and gold by early 2005 by the British Phonographic Industry.