[5] Produced by Paul McKenna, the album was recorded in Cub Run, Kentucky, in a studio that had been built in an old barn.

[8] Entertainment Weekly wrote that the band "sport a wild instrumental attack, oblique lyrics, and a sturdy, unflinching belief in the healing effects of a silky, soaring guitar.

"[11] Trouser Press opined that some songs "waver instead of stampede; for the first time, the band seems to know where they’re going, and that takes some joy out of the ride.

"[1] The New York Times wrote: "When the tempos are fast and the guitarists strum at top speed, the songs emerge in a passionate rush.

"[17] AllMusic wrote that "[Rick] Rizzo and Beveridge Bean make a fantastic pair of front singers, strong without being overbearing, on joint harmonies hitting something not far off from the brilliant combination of X's John Doe and Exene Cervenka.