The album has the air of an emotional and musical crossword puzzle, or has affinities with the work of M. C. Escher, whose art is alluded to on the cover illustration.

Of interest is the involvement of Fingerprintz's Jimme O'Neill whose influence can be heard in the edgy, angular instrumental "Platform End" (a song whose title was probably influenced by the fact that it originally closed the 1979 vinyl's A side, while it was also a play on the back cover of the previous album Watch), and ex-Slapp Happy/Henry Cow member Anthony Moore who produced the album and influenced its modern, sparse sound.

– Manfred Mann, 1979[1] In spite of this announcement, Thompson's own outfit Night turned out as unsuccessful, releasing two mostly overlooked albums in 1979 and 1980 respectively, so the singer stayed with the Earth Band instead, returning on the group's next album Chance (1980) already.

Manfred Mann adapted this recording into his own track "One Hand in the Air" on his 2014 album Lone Arranger.

The Globe and Mail noted that "there are no songs with the hit potential of 'Blinded By the Light', only a safe copy called 'Don't Kill It Carol', by former Incredible String Bander Mike Heron.