[3] The album art was provided by the photography of Michael Halsband and John Hardin and the painting of Pal Shazar, under the direction of Frank Olinsky and Tom Zutaut.

"The Return of Pan" is the Waterboys' second ode to the Greek deity, and the album contains a number of references to the romantic Neopaganism of Dion Fortune and the mystical Christianity of C. S. Lewis, as well as a tribute to guitarist Jimi Hendrix.

Scott told Melody Maker in 1993, "Geffen knew I wanted to do a gung-ho rock 'n' roll album and they suggested him.

The tracks "Suffer" and "Spiritual City" were replaced by "Kiss the Wind" and "Workin' Out My Karma", and "The New Life" was restored to its original full length.

[5] "The New Life", one of many Scott songs which are both optimistic and touch upon spirituality, was written during April 1991 on the same night that he returned to Ireland from a three-week holiday in the Caribbean.

The lyrics of the song were influenced by the changes in Scott's life at the time, such as the break-up of the "Magnificent Seven" line-up, the end of his record deal with Chrysalis and the decision to leave Ireland.

[8] "The Return of Pan" was released as the album's first single, with the songs "Karma" (also the name of one of Scott's earlier musical projects), "Mister Powers" and an untitled track.

"[4] Upon its release, Mat Smith of Melody Maker praised "Dream Harder" as a "truly momumental return to form" and a "psyche-altering explosion of spiritual fireworks".

As a return to the band's original rock-based sound, Smith described it as "the album Waterboys fans have waited nearly eight years for" and noted that the guitars, "electric at last!

"[19] Robin Denselow of The Guardian felt that despite its "New Yorkised production sheen", the album is "still Scott-as-hippie-gypsy", with most of the songs having a "starchild vein" and a "run-reading ambience".

"[14] In the US, John Swenson of Rolling Stone felt Dream Harder was the band's "most fully realized album" at the time.

[21] Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly described it as "straight-on rock" and added, "Moments entice, but mostly Dream Harder shows what could've happened to U2 if they never lightened up.

"[13] Billboard were more mixed in their review, commenting, "Scott returns to basics with a slightly subdued recap of the style with which he rose to prominence.

Problem is that his instrumental foils are largely undistinguished, and sidesteps into folk, middle Eastern and mild reggae don't display much punch.