"With simple musical backing built around Duffy's burnished vocals, acoustic guitars, and the occasional addition of keys, strings, and flutes, it's a sidestep away from the glam and laddish pop of the day and into something more pastoral and calm. What ties the record together are the sincere and revealing lyrics that find Duffy looking back at his life so far and detailing all the ups and downs in detailed fashion. It gives the songs a thematic center and emotional richness that not too many Brit-pop albums of the day exhibit".