ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvən, ðə ɡˈɑːɹdiən ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd ðə ɹˈɛkɚd ɪn ðɛɹ lˈɪst ʌv "wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈælbəmz tə hˈɪɹ bᵻfˌoːɹ juː dˈaɪ"; ðeɪ ɹˈoʊt ðætˈɪt "tˈɜːnd ðə wˈʌntˈaɪm ɹˈɑːnəld wˈɪtʃɚli ˌɪntʊ ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈɛlvɪs", ˈædɪŋ ðˈæt "ɪts sˈʌn ɹˈɛkɚdz sˈaʊnd, ˈeɪkɪŋ bˌælɐdˈɪɹɪŋ ænd ɹˈɔː blˈuːz pɹəvˈaɪdᵻd hɪz ɡɹˈeɪɾɪst mˈoʊmənt bᵻfˌoːɹ pˈɑːps dɹˈiːmboʊt ˈiəɹə dˈʌld hɪz fˈaɪɚ.
In 2007, The Guardian included the record in their list of "1000 albums to hear before you die"; they wrote that it "turned the one-time Ronald Wycherley into the British Elvis", adding that "its Sun Records sound, aching balladeering and raw blues provided his greatest moment before pop's dreamboat era dulled his fire.