AllMusic compared the sounds of Five for Fighting's debut to Billy Joel, Ben Folds, and Steely Dan, calling Message for Albert "intelligent and well-crafted."
ˈɔːl mjˈuːzɪk kəmpˈɛɹd ðə sˈaʊndz ʌv fˈaɪv fɔːɹ fˈaɪɾɪŋz deɪbjˈuː tə bˈɪli dʒˈoʊl, bˈɛn fˈoʊldz, ænd stˈiːli dˈæn, kˈɔːlɪŋ mˈɛsɪdʒ fɔːɹ ˈælbɚt "ɪntˈɛlɪdʒənt ænd wˈɛlkɹˈæftᵻd."