It was the penultimate album of their decade-long initial collaboration, and coincided with the rising fortunes of James as a newspaper critic and television presenter.

[1][2] The lyrics to “Sessionman’s Blues” were written not during a music session, but during an appearance on DJ Sarah Ward’s late night show on Capital Radio.

It originally appeared on the private-pressed ‘’While the Music Lasts’’ in 1967, accompanied by bass player Daryl Runswick, who reprised his role for the new recording.

[5] Charles Shaar Murray, writing for NME, praised the album, singling out "Sessionman's Blues" and "Secret Drinker" as stand out tracks.

Simon Frith, by contrast, criticized James' "well-wroughtness" and thought that the love songs were the better tracks, allowing Atkin to provide a more accessible emotional connection to the material.