Feels Like Carolina garnered generally positive reception by music critics. Joseph Hudak of Country Weekly gave the album a B− grade, praising the lyrics by saying that "While the album draws liberally from the country pool of shopworn images…the guys…have a knack for making them their own." He thought that the songs written by the band members were the strongest tracks but criticized the "prevailingly generic sound".[4] At USA Today, Brian Mansfield rated the album two-and-a-half out of four stars, feeling that "these guys are a throwback to bands that fleshed out melodies and tight harmonies and classic rock guitar riffs."[8] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday gave the album a B+ grade, calling the album "well-crafted".[7] At Allmusic, Steve Leggett rated the album four out of five stars, noting the release "shows a band that, at its best, combines gritty Southern garage rock with lead singer Matt Thomas' pure country vocals."[3] Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal rated the album four-and-a-half out of five stars, affirming that the release was "solid from start to finish."[5] At Got Country Online, Tara Toro rated the album four-and-a-half out of five stars, stating that as a listener, they "can listen to from start to finish."[6] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock wrote an unrated review of the album, writing that the album "showcases a tight band with a strong ear for melodies and lyrics which suit the same part of the genre which is also home to Eric Church and Jason Aldean, among others."[9]
