On its release the album was received favourably by the majority of music critics, although opinions have become much more negative in subsequent decades.

In a 2009 interview Suggs said that with keyboardist Mike Barson gone they "slightly over-compensated, arrangement-wise and musician-wise" but there were "some great songs on that album, for sure".

It also features the satirical track "I'll Compete" which acknowledges their declining popularity and sales with the lyrics "Let us hurry now, time is catching up", and also exaggerates on them maturing with the line "I'm five years closer to my pension scheme".

[6] After the album Madness disbanded in 1986, but Barson did join them for the recording of their one-off single "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train".

The album featured the songs "Yesterday's Men", "Uncle Sam", and "Sweetest Girl" which were all released as singles, with corresponding music videos.

The aforementioned "Sweetest Girl" was a cover version of a song by the British post-punk and new wave band Scritti Politti.

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Darryl Cater wrote of the album "Clive Langer and Alan Wistanley occasionally strike an inspired balance between soulful pop and subtle reggae rhythms, but more often they replace the warmth of Barson's pianos with a cold emphasis on drum machines and synthesizers.

The wacky humour of old, already on the wane in their previous outing, Keep Moving, was almost totally eclipsed by sombre tones of resignation, best exemplified on the single Yesterday's Men.