Agent Provocateur
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums:
Top
Agent Provocateur
- Artist: Foreigner
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1984
- Total Time: 41:42
- Type: Lyrics are included with the album
- Genre: Rock
Review
It took Foreigner three years to release a follow-up to its 1981 blockbuster, 4. Perhaps that wait wasn't long enough, because Agent Provocateur is a prime example of the best and worst traits of AOR: a handful of remarkable songs padded by toothless filler. Despite contributing a few killer riffs to Foreigner's '70s canon, guitarist/keyboardist Mick Jones isn't known for his six-string abilities. His biggest strength is his knack for melody as a songwriter, keyboardist, and producer, and all these qualities are evident on Agent Provocateur. Of course, vocalist/songwriter Lou Gramm is indispensable as the band's golden-throated frontman. Jones largely guided things behind the studio console, but a co-producer usually helped, such as Alex Sadkin on this album. "I Want to Know What Love Is" became Foreigner's first and only number one single, and it's not hard to see why. Its dreamy, hypnotic feel is due in part to Gramm's soulful lead vocals and the New Jersey Mass Choir's background vocals. Jennifer Holliday and the Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey help out as well. "That Was Yesterday," a terrific hit single, features a catchy chorus and a nifty synthesizer lick. "Reaction to Action" and "Down on Love" were both minor hits, but there's a huge difference in quality between the two; the former is the epitome of bland, formulaic AOR, while the latter includes a pleasant chorus and a warm keyboard melody. "A Love in Vain" and "Growing Up the Hard Way" have a few good moments too. ~ Bret Adams, Rovi| Agent Orange (1989 Album by Sodom) | |
| Agent Records Presents: The Norcal Compilation 2004 (2004 Album by Various Artists) |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Agent Provocateur (album)
| Agent Provocateur (1984) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album by Foreigner | ||||
| Released | November 5, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1984 | |||
| Genre | Rock, AOR | |||
| Length | 41:42 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Mick Jones, Alex Sadkin |
|||
| Foreigner chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Agent Provocateur is the fifth studio album by American/British rock band Foreigner, released on November 5, 1984. A concept album, the songs tell the story of a spy who sees life through both the inside and the outside. The album was the band's first and only number one album in the UK, and it reached the top 5 in the U.S. Although album sales were lower than their previous work in the U.S., it contains the band's biggest hit single, the album's love theme, "I Want to Know What Love Is", which is their only #1 single in the UK and the U.S., staying at the top spot for three and two weeks respectively. The follow-up single, "That Was Yesterday", also proved to be a sizeable hit, peaking at #12 in the U.S. The album was certified Platinum in the UK by the BPI, and triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.[2]
|
Contents
|
Track listing
All songs written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones except where noted.
- "Tooth and Nail" – 3:54
- "That Was Yesterday" – 3:46
- "I Want to Know What Love Is" (Jones) – 5:04
- "Growing Up the Hard Way" – 4:18
- "Reaction to Action" – 3:57
- "Stranger in My Own House" (Jones) – 4:54
- "A Love in Vain" – 4:12
- "Down on Love" – 4:08
- "Two Different Worlds" (Gramm) – 4:28
- "She's Too Tough" – 3:07
Personnel
- Dennis Elliott – drums, vocals
- Lou Gramm – percussion, vocals
- Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, background vocals, multiple instruments
- Rick Wills – bass, background vocals
Additional personnel
- Wally Badarou – analog synthesizer, digital synthesizer
- Tom Bailey – vocals
- Brian Eddolls – synthesizer
- Larry Fast – synthesizer
- Don Harper – vocals
- Jennifer Holliday – vocals
- Dave Lebolt – synthesizer
- Ian Lloyd – vocals, background vocals
- Bob Mayo – synthesizer, piano, background vocals
- New Jersey Mass Choir of the GMWA
- Mark Rivera – saxophone, background vocals
- Jack Waldman – synthesizer
Production
- Producers: Mick Jones, Alex Sadkin
- Engineers: Josh Abbey, Larry Alexander, Joe Ferla, Frank Filipetti, Howie Lindeman
- Assistant engineers: Bobby Cohen, Tim Crich, Scott Mabuchi
- Digital remastering: Ted Jensen
- Art direction: Bob Defrin
- Design: Bob Defrin
Charts and certifications
Charts
|
Certifications
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
- ^ [Agent Provocateur (album) at Allmusic
- ^ RIAA database
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (in German) (ASP). Austrian Charts. Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "100 Albums" (PHP/PDF). RPM 42 (3): p. 5. March 30, 1985. ISSN 0315-5994. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0503&type=2&interval=50&PHPSESSID=m89iq841abagb37ld9c0fdc1f3. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé" (in French) (PHP). InfoDisc. http://www.infodisc.fr/Albums_ChartRun.php. Find "FOREIGNER" under the drop-down menu to see statistics.
- ^ "Album – Foreigner, Agent Provocateur" (in German) (ASP). Media Control Charts. http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=Foreigner&title=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (in Dutch) (ASP). Dutch Charts. Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "Foreigner – Agent Provocateur (Album)" (ASP). Swiss Charts. Hung Medien. http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Foreigner&titel=Agent+Provocateur&cat=a. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "All the Number One Albums: 1985". The Official Charts Company. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all-the-number-one-albums-list/_/1985/. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "Agent Provocateur – Foreigner". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/foreigner/agent-provocateur/7205. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- ^ "French album certifications – Foreigner – Agent Provocateur" (in French). InfoDisc. http://www.infodisc.fr/Certif_Album.php. Select FOREIGNER and click OK
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Foreigner; 'Agent Provocateur')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Agent+Provocateur&strInterpret=Foreigner&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=checked.
- ^ "British album certifications – Foreigner – Agent Provocateur". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Enter Agent Provocateur in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
- ^ "American album certifications – Foreigner – Agent Provocateur". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Agent+Provocateur%22. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
| Preceded by Alf by Alison Moyet |
UK number one album January 26, 1985 – February 15, 1985 |
Succeeded by Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums
Copyright © 2012 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.
Read more
Mentioned in
Where the Wild Things Are
(1997 Album by Agent Provocateur)
Mekon
(Electronica Artist, '90s, 2000s)
Presents International Deejay Gigolos
(2001 Album by DJ Hell)
» More