"Q" reviewer Phil Sutcliffe said there was "a sense of echoey space around busy little instruments," with the production emphasises detail only to reveal ... Gott and ... Glennie in pedestrian form." "The Guardian" listed "Stutter" as one of the "1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die", praising the record thus: "Before Madchester, and before the Horlicks rock of "Sit Down" became ubiquitous, James were an invigorating prospect: a folk-pop band apparently engaged in a bout of pro-wrestling with their instruments. Their debut album clangs like a grand piano tumbling downstairs - leaving singalong melodies in its wake." Reviewing the "Justhipper" compilation, Frank Valish of "Under the Radar" said the album "acquits itself surprisingly well after 40 years. The guitar lines are sharp. The rhythms are engaging. The melodies are precise and not far off from those that would make James famous in the '90s."