These are lovingly crafted pastiches with tonnes of subtle layers". They went on to say that it was "the strongest Doonicans album yet". During a "Lives In Music" interview with Robin Valk, in March 2020, Fairport Convention bassist Dave Pegg said, "one band I really love, are a bit of a comedy act, and an act that you will wanna go and see over and over again, called The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican... a great name, but absolutely hilarious." Jarvis Cocker from Sheffield band, Pulp, has been widely quoted to have described the band as "The best thing to come out of Barnsley, since the A61 to Sheffield". Scott Doonican has been an official endorsee of Tanglewood Guitars since 2018, but has had a preference for them for live shows since the band's conception. According to their website his main live acoustic guitar, a "battered old 1995 Tanglewood TW55, dubbed 'The Workhorse' (is) believed to have done well over a thousand shows to date" (since this was written, the guitar definitely has). The guitar was bought in 1999 from Scott's uncle, current Showaddywaddy bassist, Billy Norman. Scott also plays a 'chess board synthesiser ukulele', custom-built by North Yorkshire luthier, Robert Hinchcliffe, during "She's From Dodworth", and occasionally he plays a 1981 Suzuki Omnichord OM-27 during solo shows. He also sometimes plays an Ozark banjulele, a GDAD tuned Irish bouzouki, and the 'Kazoobie Wazoogle', an extra-loud kazoo with a bell-shaped horn on top and a trumpet-styled opening at the front. On studio albums since 2015, Scott has recorded his acoustic guitar parts using a Gibson J200 and since 2020 also uses a George Lowden O23C. Björn Doonicansson plays a Gold Tone TS-250A Tenor Archtop Banjo (and a Deering Goodtime 2 Leader as his back-up tenor banjo), a Bridge Aquila violin made by Sleaford violin-maker, Paul Bridgewater, and an electric Fender MandoStrat mandolin. Alan Doonican plays Gallini and Chanson accordions, a Roland V-Combo VR-09 keyboard (dubbed "Alan's Massive Throbbing Organ" on the side of his keyboard stand), a 1987 Yamaha SHS-10 keytar, and a ukulele of ill repute.