The Homeland was met with mostly positive reviews.
The Columbus Free Press gave it a glowing review, writing "It is rare when an album sets out to achieve such lofty goals as
The Homeland. It's even more rare when the artist actually hits the mark on all levels."
Uncut magazine gave the album 4/5 stars, calling Conn "witty and sharp", and stating that he can "tell a tale with aplomb".
Mojo also awarded the album 4/5 stars, and
Q Magazine awarded the album 3/5 stars, saying "[I]t's reassuring to run into the real McCoy. Chicago's Bobby Conn is just that." On the negative side, Dave Queen of
Stylus Magazine, stated that the album "fails" in comparison to its predecessor, criticizing John McEntire's production and Conn's subject matter, stating "I [...] miss the dysfunctional coke-sex ballads [i.e. of "The Golden Age"]".
Playlouder gave the album 2.5/5 stars, mostly criticizing the album's political lyrical content, and asserting that "the results are anticlimactic"- however reviewer Jeremy Allen does admit that Conn "is clearly talented".
PopMatters criticized the political lyrics as "crude and oversimplified" but admitted that "there are still plenty of killer hooks, and John McEntire's expert recording job makes the most of them, giving the mix a crisp clarity that assures that these intricate arrangements never sound decadently bloated." ==Track listing==