At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990, the album was nominated for ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album.

[3] Dan Jones said "Max Q deserves some long overdue attention.

Constructed around Olsen's hybrid electronic song structures, Max Q explodes with invention at every turn.

'Sometimes' and 'Way of the World' bristle with a vibe of punk/agro meets disco/house splendor – an area bands like Depeche Mode and Massive Attack have explored in depth.

Jittery guitars clash with looped percussion attacks, and Michael's raging vocal workouts head butt powerful orchestral flourishes and the odd sonic bleep.