Upon release, the album received favorable reviews. AllMusic gave Songs About Leaving a lukewarm review, stating that its "abundance of down-turned emotional muck may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it definitely stands out as something not quite so ordinary in the musical landscape."[1]Pitchfork gave the album a positive review, stating that it "sounds fascinatingly hesitant", and is "all the more devastating for being the band's final act."[2]Sputnikmusic gave the album a positive review describing the album as " a perfect metaphor for depression" and that " it brings you down, it makes time seem slower, it's unsettling, it's isolating, and when you're already knee-deep in it, you wouldn't have it any other way."