This was the first Wall of Voodoo album to include Andy Prieboy on vocals and Ned Leukhardt on drums—following the departure of frontman Stan Ridgway and percussionist Joe Nanini—and also features the return of original bassist Bruce Moreland.

[1] In a retrospective review, Allmusic's Rudyard Kennedy judged the album's biggest flaw as retaining the Wall of Voodoo name without the distinctive presences of Ridgway and Nanini.

Kennedy cited "Business of Love" and "Big City" as examples of failed attempts to imitate the original band, while declaring "Far Side of Crazy", "Room With a View", "Dark as a Dungeon" and "(Don't Spill My) Courage" to all be highlights.

[2] Spin said, "The record plays like the sound track to an Eastwood cowboy film where somebody slipped some mescaline into the cast's box lunches.

This is haunting, desolate music that's like the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly performed by the crazies who hang around the bus station in places like Vegas.