Mark Beaumont wrote the album's "charm .... [is] its complete lack of limitations, its rampant , its raising of the indie sightline above the sleeves of OK Computer and Grace." John Aizlewood of Blender viewed it as "a further step forward" and said some of the songs are "as close to 1970s power-pop experts the Raspberries as they are to Nirvana". The Boston Phoenix Tony Ware felt that the band were "always 10 times better at gloss than at grunge," as they "snap with sharp hooks and buzzing melodies" on Free All Angels.Stylus Magazine writer Nick Southall said Free All Angels is Ash's return "to the wistfully melodic and love-struck punk-rock that made them so great" in their early days. He also said for the first time since 1977, "Ash have achieved synergy between their sweet-as-milkshake pop" and their "full-on heavy metal and punk" influences. Pitchfork contributor Joe Tangari wrote it is a "dichotomy of ideals" that makes the album "a compelling listen, if a seemingly contradictory one at times"; and continued, it "certainly works on another level. It's a damn good pop album, with a little muscle behind its melodies to boot." Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams said Free All Angels has "magical moments, although they seem to bookend the album". Adams also said the album is neither "brilliant" nor "crap", but is "a record with guitar pop brilliance and songs that should have been left as b-sides". In a review for Rolling Stone, David Fricke said half of the album "sinks under sluggish ballad tempos, sour strings and, in 'Submission,' unnecessary electronica" while the other half "is solid chain-saw fun, some of the best '77 you'll hear in 2002". Commercial performance and accoladesFree All Angels entered the UK Album Chart at number one, and peaked at number two in Ireland and Scotland. It reached number 11 on the US Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, number 20 in Norway, number 28 in Austria, number 32 in New Zealand, number 34 in Germany, number 43 in Australia, number 58 in Sweden, and number 121 in France. The album was later certified platinum in the UK. "Shining Light" charted at number 8 in the UK and at number 23 in Ireland. "Burn Baby Burn" charted at number 13 in the UK and at number 20 in Ireland. "Sometimes" charted at number 21 in the UK and at number 41 in Ireland.