In a retrospective review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann feels that the album is "star-crossed", "not too shabby", and while it "wasn't great Clapton" it should have got more notice than it did. Rolling Stone journalist John Piccarella notes: "Rita Mae” [...] is the only song on side two that’s not about dying.
The review of the album by both critics is that it wasn't a masterpiece, but it was worth listening to. The only song on side two that isn't about death is "Rita Mae".