After the recording, the release was delayed a number of times, until it was eventually remixed early the following year at London's Battery Studios.

"[5] Sire were annoyed by the album's lack of success, and in spite of feeling disenfranchised, the band took on board the label's criticisms.

McDonagh made a plan that her business associates Elliot Rashman and Andy Dodd would manage the band while she took a behind-the-scenes role.

[10] Rashman and Dodd spent five months persuading Sire, who saw the band as a liability by this point, to give them more money to remix the album.

[12][14] Around the time Sire greenlight the proposal, two of their popular acts – the Housemartins and the Smiths – had broken up, and were anticipating James to be their next breakthrough artist.

[12] In early 1988, Power was drafted in to mix all of the tracks in a single day at Battery Studios in London, except for "Riders" and "Refrain", which were done by Jones.

[11] The band opted to take a less-is-more approach to the song writing, with drummer Gavan Whelan adding that "there's more space and thought.

[11] The opening track "What For" began as an entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, and changed several times as the band felt its first iteration was too poppy, and lacked any kind of serious statement.

[22] Booth said "Not There" featured his first lyrics in regards to addictions, tackling the band's original guitarist Paul Gilbertson, adding that he "watched a close friend's spirit being slowly drunk by the alcohol.

[24] "Vulture" was written five years prior about gluttony and greed, and had appeared during the band's first session with John Peel in a slightly different rendition.

[33][34] In November 1988, James parted ways with Sire through a loophole in their contract which allowed the band to leave if the label hadn't contacted them within a six month period upon delivery of the Strip-mine masters.

[15][35] During one gig in December 1988, Whelan attacked Booth; he was asked to leave the band, based on the other members having separate incidents with him.

[33] The band promoted its release with a short UK tour, with support from the Inspiral Carpets; it marked their first stint with new drummer David Baynton-Power and guitarist/violinist Saul Davies.

[42][43] Altricia Gethers and Ira Robbins of Trouser Press called the Strip-mine "frequently delightful," with Jones' "crystalline production ... mak[ing] the most of the band’s alluring and intelligent folk-pop.

"[18] Q writer Mat Snow said James wrote "11 tightly worked but airily evocative songs which should intrigue any connoisseur of a particularly English way of doing things."

He added that while "clearly rustic in mood, their tunes are incisively played-tangy, almost high-life guitars beautifully playing off crisply driven rhythms.

"[48] City Life's Jacqueline Harte noted "What For" as being the most memorable track on the album, with the remainder "bounc[ing] along with only mildly varying levels of accessibility."

[50] Sounds reviewer Peter Kane said the album "finally emerges on two shy feet with a crisp new production and a batch of songs full of brittle melodies and suitably traumatised vocals."

"[26] The staff at Melody Maker found the guitarwork to be "frequently insipid and undeveloped, only occasionally ringing true, with lush, lust and an exaggerated love."

"[20] AllMusic reviewer Tom Demalon witnessed the band to be "still struggling for their own identity as the overall sound of Strip-Mine continued to be deeply influenced by the Smiths."