"These live demos are nothing short of a revelation: it's the sound of the Reckoning band ripping through the Fables material, creating a sound that's loose, lively, and wild. It's more rock & roll than folk-rock murk, lifting much of the muted murkiness that makes Fables a sometimes alienating listen but retaining its cryptic allure, which is more than enough to make this the best of the R.E.M. reissues".