The Phantom Tollbooth's Curt McLey said that "Myself When I am Real seems contrived to such an extent that I have a difficult time listening to it without distraction. As I listen to the songs, recurring visions of teenage girls staring in rapt attention dominate my mind. Facing the stage, hands folded in the classic prayer posture and placed vertically to one side of their face—the young ladies convey a reverence reserved only for the boyfriend who will always be out of reach. Why? Well, because he’s a rock star." Lastly, McLey wrote that "most of the songs on Myself When I am Real--dare I say it--appear to have been intentionally written with mixed meaning. Songs written with layers can be artistically satisfying. But honestly, these songs go too far, which almost makes me a little queasy."
