[3] When This Is the Sea was presented to Island Records, Scott suggested holding back the release of "The Whole of the Moon" as a single in favour of "Don't Bang the Drum" or "Medicine Bow" first.

[5] In a contemporary review of This Is the Sea, Roger Holland of Melody Maker commented: "'Don't Bang the Drums' calls out in fervent plea for individuality and excellence.

"[6] Dave Gingold of the Santa Cruz Sentinel described the song as "an explosive piece, with drums so tough the listener feels inclined to reach for a crash helmet".

[7] Esther Murray of Spin wrote: "The first track is one enormous barreling, lurching slice of theater, opening with an ominously grandiloquent Spanish flamenco trumpet cadenza, an undercurrent of shimmering vibrations, acoustic guitar and piano rhythms shuddering delicately.

As the trumpet climax seethes its agony, the introduction erupts into a hard rocking electric groove, Scott's invective jammed with thumping fear like the dying cries of a sacrificial animal.

What the lyrics lack, the musical arrangement makes up for: Lorimer's haughty Spanish trumpet ushers in wall-to-wall guitars, piano, ballzouki, crashing drums and wailing saxophone in a strutting rock orchestration.