"Pikelny proves himself to be as deft a guitar player as he is a peerless banjoist ... but it's his trusty five-string that delivers Universal Favorite's best moments. The three-part closing act, which includes a pair of disparate but wildly inventive instrumentals, and ends with a homey and spirited rendition of Roger Miller's "I've Been a Long Time Leavin' (But I'll Be a Long Time Gone)," perfectly encapsulates the album's simple, rough-hewn charm".