The album received positive attention from many critics.

The Austin Chronicle's Austin Music Awards ranked it the third best album of 1985,[3] and Los Angeles Times critic Robert Hilburn included it on his year-end list of the best 100 records of the year.

[4] Ted Simons of Spin magazine called it "one of the better independent releases of the year", although he expressed reservations about what he found to be "heavy-handed" harmonies on some tracks.

[6][7] Ryan Adams has named this album as a leading influence on his own musical style.

Three tracks--"Wherehaus Jamb," "Freight Train Rain," and "Electra"—had been released previously on a 1984 EP entitled Zeitgeist, produced by John Croslin, recorded by John Viehweg, and released by DB Records.