The song's first line was used as the title of the book "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981–1991", by Michael Azerrad. // Slant Magazine listed the album at No. 77 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s". /// AcclaimedMusic.net ranked the album the 305th most acclaimed album of all time. + According to "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" (Steven Blush), this album was, along with Husker Du's 'Zen Arcade', "either the pinnacle or downfall of the pure hardcore scene. Watt later commented that it was the "best album I ever played on".