Helped to be promoted by a tour in 2003, including a performance at the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival where copies of the album was signed, the album was released to a positive critical reception. Tom Jewsbury of the BBC said the album would "have SOH's mighty fan base in seventh heaven." Iain Hazlewood of "Spiral Earth" said that ""Country Life" is one of their defining moments" and "a deceptively complex album, repeated listening reveals a musical and emotional depth that just picks you up and runs off with your imagination. Jane Brace of "The Living Tradition" said she had "racked brains for a way to describe this band and failed. And therein lies the 'riddle' of Show of Hands. Just when you think you've got a handle on them and decided it's 'acoustic with attitude' or out and out English folk they'll throw in some rock, shades of country, a reel of Celtic, a bit of bluegrass and then recreate the sitar sounds of India in the blink of an eye. They are without a doubt the coolest chameleons I've seen. and the release of "Country Life" proves they just get better and better. David Kidman of "NetRhythms" said the album is "another excellent product all round. Probably Show Of Hands' best". He commented that the album "gives us the best of all of SOH's various worlds." Bradley Torreano of Allmusic later noted that the album "was well-received by plaudits and fans alike."