
Simon Braithwaite of Smash Hits wrote that Life's Hard and Then You Die shows that It's Immaterial "write jolly good pop songs - In fact everything else here is just as inspired and original as their recent hit."
In a retrospective review, Michael Sutton of All Music wrote, "Musically, the LP is all over the place - new wave country, blues, folk, and synth pop - Somehow the smorgasbord of styles works, because the band members aren't being eclectic just for the sake of it; they simply have a wide canvas, keeping the album fresh from beginning to end."
TRACK LISTING
Driving Away From Home
Happy Talk
Rope
The Better Idea
Space
The Sweet Life
Festival Time
Ed's Funky Diner
Hang On Sleepy Town
Lullaby