This was the band's first album to receive major-label distribution in the United States, as it was originally licensed by Capitol Records from 4AD for North American release.

After a period of being out of print while 4AD reclaimed the American distribution rights for their back catalogue, the album (along with much of the band's 4AD material) was remastered by guitarist Robin Guthrie and reissued in 2003.

[1][2] Upon the release of the album, Ivo Watts-Russell, co–founder of the band's record label 4AD, commented on lead singer Elizabeth Fraser's vocals on Blue Bell Knoll saying "It’s got her best singing since she discovered her higher range.

[7] In Japan, the song “Athol-Brose” was released as a single in 1990, accompanied with “Carolyn’s Fingers” and “Iceblink Luck”, following a feature in a Japanese television commercial.

[16] Consequence's Len Comaratta wrote that the album, "with its rich and ambitious expressiveness, returns the band to its dream pop roots in the ether.

"[27] Pitchfork listed Blue Bell Knoll as the 81st best album of the 1980s, with reviewer Stuart Berman calling it "a record that courts the pop mainstream through its crisp, radiant production and also boldly rejects it through vocally smeared songs that are nigh impossible to sing along to.