In August 2008, Billboard reported that Wilco had been playing two new songs, "One Wing" and "Sonny Feeling", at recent shows in anticipation of a new studio album.

[9] The band also suggested that those who downloaded the leaked copy make a charitable donation to Inspiration Corporation, an organization that assists low-income families in Chicago.

"[12] Matthew Perpetua of Pitchfork concurs, arguing that on the album "the disparate strains within the group's catalog have somehow flowed together into a unifying aesthetic", with the album touching on all of Wilco's various styles and guises in the past, which Perpetua identifies as "alt-country, Americana, neo-folk, quasi-experimental, and, if you insist, "dad rock.

The album's lyrics portray both dark and light subject matter, from "Bull Black Nova", which is written from the point of view of a man who just killed his girlfriend,[15] to the Feist duet "You and I", which treats two lovers trying to keep a relationship together.

[31] NME gave the album a score of eight out of ten and noted that Wilco "covered all bases this time; pushing themselves to experiment while still celebrating what makes their music so catchy and compelling,"[32] while Paste gave the album a score of 7.4 out of ten and described it as "full of thoughtful, artfully crafted lyrics wrapped in memorable hooks that should stand the test of time.

"[33] Other reviewers made note of the creative longevity of the band, with Pitchfork citing it as the "work of veterans unafraid to express mature emotions with an appropriate level of musical depth and nuance"[28] and The Record Review remarking that "in their fifteenth year, Wilco is still crafting albums that are both melodic and relevant.

"[20] Alternative Press likewise gave the album four stars out of five and said, "Wilco continues to reign in their experimental fuzz, focusing more on pretty melodies, upbeat toe-tappers and sweet acoustic numbers for their seventh full-length.

"[42] The Austin Chronicle gave the album three-and-a-half stars out of five and stated: "What it lacks in identity, perhaps a statement of purpose locked down by a title, the tightly produced, musically pointed Wilco compensates for in near-total coalescence.

"[43] Under the Radar gave the album seven stars out of ten and said it "rumbles out of the gate with a scruffy exuberance reminiscent of the early tracks of 'Summerteeth,' before finding its way back to the high-end country art rock the band has specialized in since we first found out Tweedy gets bad headaches.

Music UK gave the album a score of six stars out of ten and said of Wilco: "Like a slightly under-serving best of, though, we get glimpses of what they've done before, but nothing substantial enough to set a new high-water mark.

"[47] Tiny Mix Tapes gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five and said it "isn't a failure--not by any means--but when a band has become so attached to the notion of change and then stagnates, it casts a heavy shadow that's hard to escape.

"[48] Dusted Magazine gave the album a negative review and said, "Wilco is a Great Band, if you like stuff that's boring.