[2] IGN's Chad Grischow praised lead singer Andrew Volpe's vocals for being "compelling without becoming theatrical" and the mixture of "poppy hooks and macabre lyrics" throughout the track listing but felt that most of them "fall short with bland verses ("Drunken Lament")" and "a little too much pop gloss ("Mutiny Below")".

He concluded that, "You're Awful, I Love You is a solid album of straight-ahead rockers, enhanced by some creepy songwriting and fantastic hooks.

Ludo's major label debut hints that they probably have a great album or two in them, if they can overcome their inconsistency.

"[5] AllMusic writer William Ruhlmann felt that the band's lyricism was considerably "dumbed down" from their previous effort, noting how "Topeka" squanders its beginning by having a lack of direction and continuous repetition of said beginning, and highlighting "Go-Getter Greg" for having "enough flair" to come from their first album, concluding that "Those who have never heard Ludo may think You're Awful, I Love You is an efficient work of pop/rock.

"[3] A writer for Alternative Addiction preferred the "darker themed songs ("Love Me Dead", "Lake Pontchartrain")" over the "really bright, energetic and fun ("Please", "Such As It Ends")" but gave credit to the latter for having a likable charm to them, concluding that the record "brings the band's intelligent and quirky rock to the mainstream, and that's never a bad thing.