▁the ▁band ▁felt ▁like ▁they ▁had ▁gone ▁further ▁than ▁ever ▁before ▁in ▁capt uring ▁their ▁sound ▁on ▁t ape . ▁Dr um mer ▁Dennis ▁D iken ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁album ▁offered ▁a ▁" real ▁band ▁v ibe " ▁and ▁had ▁" an ▁organ ic ▁sense ▁about ▁it ", ▁while ▁Mike ▁Mes ar os ▁said , ▁" It ▁has ▁a ▁warm th ▁to ▁it ▁and ▁it ▁capt ures ▁an ▁element ▁that ▁my ▁favorite ▁records ▁and ▁my ▁favorite ▁bands ▁have ▁always ▁had . ▁It ▁rocks ▁and ▁has ▁balls ▁and ▁is ▁raw ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁it ’ s ▁beautiful ▁and ▁mel od ic ". ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁ ▁All music ' s ▁Stephen ▁Thomas ▁Er le w ine ▁r ated ▁the ▁album ▁three ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁five ▁and ▁called ▁it ▁" a ▁good ▁jour ne yman ▁record ▁that ▁plays ▁up ▁their ▁strength s ▁quite ▁nicely ". ▁The ▁album ▁has ▁" a ▁little ▁bit ▁of ▁everything " ▁that ▁the ▁Smith ere ens ▁usually ▁do , ▁said ▁Er le w ine , ▁" j ang ly ▁pop , ▁do omy ▁rock , ▁mel anch oly ▁ball ads , ▁cr unch ing ▁r iffs ". ▁He ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁album ▁" may ▁not ▁be ▁as ▁immediate ▁or ▁memor able ▁as ▁their ▁best ▁albums ▁from ▁the ▁late ▁' 8 0 s , ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁weak ▁moments ▁on ▁the ▁record . ▁Every ▁song ▁is ▁well - craft ed ▁and ▁delivered ▁with ▁conv iction ". ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁review ▁for ▁The ▁A . V . ▁Club ,