Album of the Year sums up critical consensus as a 71 out of 100, with 10 reviews and AnyDecentMusic? scores this a 6.9 out of 10 based on 13 reviews. Daniel Dylan Wray of
Uncut gave the album a six out of 10, writing that there are moments of real beauty but the songs are too similar to one another and that "might be comfort via familiarity for some" but "lacking evolution for others". In
Mojo, James McNair gave
Earth to Dora four out of five stars, noting the balance of emotions in the lyrics. Rupert Hawksley of
The Independent writes that while Eels have "been churning out the same inconsequential, loafing rock for years", due to the state of anxiety around COVID-19, "Eels’ dozy melodies and sweet, sun-baked lyrics sound reassuring, rather than bland" and are "exactly what we need"; his review gives
Earth to Dora three out of five stars. In
The Times, Will Hodgkinson gave this release four out of five stars for the "bittersweet charm" of E's songwriting along with the emotional impact of his vocals. Emma Swann of
DIY ranked
Earth to Dora as two out of five stars, writing that E has nothing to say in his lyrics and having "basic" songs. David Cheal of
Financial Times calls the album "moving and richly textured" for its emotional honesty, with a range from weariness to joy; his review is four out of five stars. For
American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz gave
Earth to Dora four out of five stars for being "another emotionally edgy chapter to [E's] artistic and spiritual journey that existing fans will appreciate". The editorial staff of
AllMusic Guide gave this release 3.5 out of five stars, with reviewer Mark Deming praising the range of emotions in the lyrics and summing up the work as "well-written and imaginatively produced pop for grown-ups". In
Under the Radar, Matt the Raven gave
Earth to Dora four out of 10 stars, concluding, "It’s doubtful
Earth to Dora will win EELS any new fans and will most likely leave existing fans disappointed. But if you work at it, you may find some redeeming qualities since a sub-par EELS is still better than most." ==Track listing==