Cleveland Scene editor Dan LeRoy found that "with a range as wide as his smile, [Javier] hits the slow jams like a young, hungry 'Face, but handles the acoustic numbers more like Sweet Baby James, pausing in between for a few slices of atmospheric club candy and "The Answer Is Yes," a gospel tribute that wisely doesn't oversell itself and thus succeeds spectacularly. Nothing stretches Javier as far as "October Sky," the straight-no-chaser jazz closer from his debut, but Left of Center hits every target it aims for dead-on."[2] Jozen Cummings from Vibe described the album as "musically eclectic, to say the least. And at times, his accomplished but chameleon-like musicianship disturbs the overall direction [...] But when Javier settles down and concentrates on traditional R&B, the album thrives. As both a guitarist and a singer, his ambidextrous artistry comes alive [...] These moments dominate Left of Center and help Javier bring it back home."[1]
