[4] In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four out of five stars, describing it as "An imperfect collection of a frustratingly uneven band" and "a tantalizing missed opportunity", opining that the album's lack of chronological order made it "difficult to listen to [the] songs".

Despite this, he went on to say that "no other James album accurately conveys [the band's] eclecticism or their musical strengths".

[5] Awarding the album five out of five stars, Q magazine's John Aizlewood observed that "They're as stubborn (another admirable James trait) as disenfranchised mules; their audience is not growing (Whiplash sold 150,000) and they've influenced precisely nobody, but every track here – including new songs 'Runaground' and 'Destiny Calling, which unveil the mature James: "Tell us when our time is up/Show us how to die well/Show us how to let it all go" – bristles with inspiration.

"[6] Clash included "Destiny Calling" on their list of the top 10 best James songs.

A limited edition version contains a second CD of live material, recorded at Whitfield St Studios in London on 21 January 1998: