[2] Noted musical influences on Sound Affects include post-punk groups such as Wire, Gang of Four, and Joy Division and, particularly evident in Rick Buckler's drumming, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall.

is built around an almost exact copy of the bass-line from the Beatles' "Taxman", the first track on Revolver, and includes a homage to its guitar solo.

"Pretty Green" includes a funk bass-line and rhythm with melodic guitar breaks and psychedelic sound effects.

The front cover of Sound Affects is inspired by the series of Sound Effects albums created by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and features pictures of a taxi cab (likely an Austin FX4), a telephone box, a hearse, the phrase 'From the cradle to the grave' (associated with the welfare state), and Dungeness B power station, among others.

[4][5] Sound Affects sold over 100,000 copies and spent 19 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, rising to number two in late 1980.

[6][7][8] In the United States, the album spent 11 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and reached its peak position of number 72 in February 1981.