Allmusic's Thom Jurek said: "Inner Crisis by Larry Willis is one of the very finest examples of electric jazz-funk from the mid-'70s. ... Willis assembled a session that was long on composition and tight on the big groove. Willis' long front lines accentuated deep soul and blues' cadences that were hallmarks of music that walked the line between tough lean groove and the pulsating rhythm of disco without losing its jazz roots to sterile fusion tropes, thanks in large part to his willingness as a pianist to play as part of an ensemble rather than as a soloist".[4]