The cover art, as described by front man Chris Cheney, is based on a photograph of a World War I all-female bomb factory.

The band had achieved mainstream success with their EP, Second Solution / Prisoner of Society, released in September 1997.

In December 1999 the album was certified 4× platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 280,000 units.

[1] In July 1999 a fourth single, "West End Riot" was issued, which did not reach the top 50 – although it was popular with listeners of national radio station, Triple J, appearing on their Hottest 100 poll for that year.

In December 1999 The Living End was certified 4× Platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 280,000 units.

Allmusic's reviewer, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, felt "they've cleverly appropriated certain rockabilly signatures – most ridiculously, the upright acoustic bass – that give their homage to the golden age of punk a bit of charm.

[10] While Rolling Stone's Noah Tarnow found the group "revives the juvie mentality of several generations of guitar slingers, blending rockabilly's greasy-haired swagger with pissed-punk vitriol".

"Strange" had already appeared on previous releases in Australia and it was deemed unnecessary to repeat the track again for Australian fans.