[4] The album received little notice upon its release in 1978; Auger later joked that Warner Bros. “pressed 30,000 copies and forgot about it.”.

Writing in AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote, “Listening to Encore in the 21st century is nearly a revelation.

Auger, for his part as the band's musical director on his trademark B-3, acoustic piano, and a slew of electronic keyboards, is a strictly no-BS performer.

Together, they make a nearly flawless pair on these nine cuts.” [5] Reviewing the reissue, Jon Newey in Jazzwise wrote, "It may be over four decades old but in spirit, message and sheer uplifting musicality it's uncannily on-point today."

Dave Thompson in Goldmine agreed, specifying that "Jack Bruce's 'Rope Ladder to the Moon' reminds us that Cream was always the dullest thing its composer ever did; and the Winwood/Capaldi composed 'No Time To Live' recaptures everything you loved about Driscoll’s voice in the first place, but with the benefit of 10 more years in which to improve.