In between his previous solo album (1980's Nightbird) and this release, Carrack had been a member of Squeeze, singing lead on their 1981 hit "Tempted".

The album reached #78 on the Billboard 200, and includes Carrack's first chart hit as a solo artist, "I Need You", which peaked at #37 in the US in October 1982.

[citation needed] AllMusic's William Ruhlmann notes retrospectively that Suburban Voodoo "sounds very much like a (Nick) Lowe album with Carrack singing.

That's all to the good, though, since Carrack's supple voice is well-suited to Lowe's updated '60s rock & roll style."

Yet it succeeds because of Lowe's production and composing presence, which complements Carrack's excellent voice with the kind of pop smarts that bring out his best.