Ned Raggett's review of the album on Allmusic states "A slightly more conventional but no less entrancing collection of songs in comparison to "Before Hollywood", "Spring Hill Fair" contains its fair share of Go-Betweens classics, with the rough, barbed emotional edge of many lyrics getting almost gentle arrangements." and "Throughout the album one can not only hear the expanded lineup testing things out, but individual players adding their own particular flair -- the brush-and-shuffle percussion from Morrison on "Five Words," McLennan's great lead guitar solo on "You've Never Lived," Vickers' ability with crisp funk on "Slow Slow Music.""