The recording sessions for Communiqué took place from 28 November to 12 December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau.

In a 1979 review for the Birmingham Daily Post, Jonathan Daümler-Ford called it a "competent record", but wrote that "the songs sound like pale imitations, or the cuts which were not good enough for Dire Straits".

[10] Record World said of "Once Upon a Time in the West" that Knopfler's "unique and super-sensitive vocals evoke vivid imagery that's totally enhanced by the Wexler-Beckett production team.

"[11] The Tucson Citizen called the album "an appealing production," writing that "a combination of country and reggae can be substantial.

"[12] In his retrospective review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann wrote that the second album "seemed little more than a carbon copy of its predecessor with less compelling material.