The Birds and the Bee Sides was met with positive reviews from music critics. Andree Farias of
AllMusic described the recording as "an all-around nice gesture -- a more than generous gift to fans and an EP with one of the highest bang-for-buck ratios in the history of modern rock." Chris Fallon of
AbsolutePunk stated, "
The Nashville Tennis EP half showcases the band's ever-growing pop-based sound, steering further and further away from their initial punk-rooted style found on earlier records. The new material and the b-side collection are interesting to compare, as they both have a glossy production and sound wonderful, but are essentially counterparts in the dynamic they each present to the listener."
Alternative Addiction said the EP "isn't a bad listen but it's not a definitive set for the band either." Chad Grischow of
IGN remarked, "it is hard to fault a band for wanting to give too much music to their fans, yet, it is exactly what taints Relient K's latest. The silly scraps on the later half of the effort cheapen the fantastic new cuts, which, in turn, highlight the disposable nature of the leftovers." Josh Taylor of Jesus Freak Hideout wrote, "this is a very enjoyable collection of songs from a band that seems to continually outdo themselves, even when it comes to their between-album EPs. With so much to choose from, it'd be hard to not find something you liked." ==Awards and nominations==