Not much to tell those familiar with Lightfoot's previous work—you can take it ["Summertime Dream"] is very much on par for the course. The guy's long established a formula of agreeable tunes and undemanding lyrics that's been amazingly successful for him, and he ain't gonna change it now, despite surely being second only to John Denver as the artist critics hate the most. Now and again he comes up with a particularly catchy song which grabs the imagination, or a lyric that delves beyond the usual commentary on personal relationships…. Not as strong as his best work, "Sit Down Young Stranger" (later re-titled "If You Could Read My Mind"), but far superior to the dull "Sundown."… Lightfoot has two explorations into deeper-than-usual waters here with "Protocol," which is brimming with bitterness—ten years ago it would have been called a protest song along the lines of [Buffy...