Rolling Stone (p.188) - 3 1/2 stars out of 5 - "[H]aunted tales of betrayal and loss, spun by a narrator who marks time by the seasons and speaks in beautiful, disarming nature metaphors."
Q (p.107) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[With] more subtle colourings - mournful cello, ghostly piano, occasional horns - woven into a beautifully produced, spartan backdrop. It's hypnotic stuff..."
Uncut (p.91) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Crowning glory 'House Down By The Lake' is a somewhat improbable triumph of bluegrass reel and brass flurry. Now that's progress."
Magnet (p.108) - "Sykes, in a husky-yet-vulnerable voice equal parts Chan Marshall and Linda Thompson, weaves a disconsolate, haunting tale of fever, loss and solitude."
Magnet (p.67) - Ranked #14 in Magnet's "The 20 Best Albums Of 2004" - "Loneliness never sounded quite so dreamy and seductive."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "There's a desolate beauty in the floatiness of the melodies..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "OH, MY GIRL exploits a spare but refined folk rock palette to paint richly detailed evocations of love gone awry....[The album] accurately captures the weary throb of heartbreak..."
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter: Phil Wandscher (vocals, guitar, harmonium, organ); Jesse Sykes (vocals, acoustic guitar); Anne Marie Ruljancich (vocals, viola); Bill Herzog (vocals, double bass); Kevin Warner (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel: Jon Hyde (acoustic guitar); Greg Readling (pedal steel guitar, organ); Ian Parks (banjo, mandolin); Dave Carter (flugelhorn); Steve Moore (trombone, piano, Wurlitzer piano, keyboards, vibraphone); Ron Weinstein (Hammond b-3 organ); Tucker Martine (drums, percussion).
Recording information: Flora, Seattle, Washington.