Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Living in Darkness

 
Album Review: Living in Darkness

  • Artist: Agent Orange
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1981
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Were they punk, power pop, or surf rock? After listening to Rhino Records' reissue of Agent Orange's classic 1981 debut Living in Darkness, that's probably what the listener will be wondering. By incorporating all three musical elements into one, this influential Orange County, CA. band showed that they were a step ahead of the rest of the punk/hardcore pack. By adding seven hard-to-find cuts (including pre-debut singles and an interview from 1981) to the original album, this reissue of prime Agent Orange material is by far their best release, and the most appealing for newcomers to the band. The group gained some attention in the mid-'90s when it became public knowledge that alterna-punks the Offspring were huge fans of the band, which led to speculation that they lifted the Middle Eastern motif contained in Agent Orange's "Bloodstains" for their breakthrough hit "Come Out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)." The comparison was debatable, but A.O. had lots of other great material, some showcased here -- a cover of Dick Dale's "Miserlou," "Too Young to Die," "No Such Thing," and of course the aforementioned "Bloodstains." You'd be hard pressed to find a better compilation of Agent Orange material than this reissue of Living in Darkness. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Bloodstains [Original Version] Mike Palm Agent Orange (1:53)
Too Young to Die Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:04)
Everything Turns Grey James Levesque, Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:00)
Miserlou [Instrumental] Bob Russell, Nicholas Roubanis, Milton Leeds, Chaim Tauber, Fred Wise Agent Orange (2:07)
The Last Goodbye Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:49)
No Such Thing Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:47)
A Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:09)
Bloodstains [Darkness Version] Mike Palm Agent Orange (1:44)
Living in Darkness Mike Palm, James Levesque Agent Orange (4:13)
Pipeline Bob Spickard, Brian Carman Agent Orange (3:54)
Breakdown Steve Soto, Mike Palm Agent Orange (2:54)
Mr. Moto Paul Johnson, Paul Johnson, Richard Delvy, Paul Johnson Agent Orange (1:59)
America (Lyrics) Mike Palm Agent Orange (1:20)
Bored of You (Lyrics) Mike Palm Agent Orange (1:48)
El Dorado Mike Palm Agent Orange (1:44)
Interview 1981 Agent Orange (9:21)

Credits

Steve Soto (Vocals (Background)), Daniel VanPatten (Producer), James Levesque (Vocals (Background)), Mike Palm (Guitar), Mike Palm (Vocals), Jay Lansford (Producer), Geoff Gans (Reissue Art Director), Robbie Fields (Producer), Scott Miller (Drums), Bill Inglot (Remastering), Mike Palm (Arranger), Paul Lewis (Engineer), Sevie Bates (Design), David Hines (Mixing), Chris Velasco (Engineer), Mike Palm (Liner Notes), Ken Perry (Remastering), Geoff Gans (Art Direction), David Hines (Engineer), James Levesque (Bass), Steve Soto (Bass)
Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: Living in Darkness
Top
Living in Darkness
Studio album by Agent Orange
Released 1981
Recorded 1979 - September 1981
Genre Surf rock, punk rock
Length 19:53 (original)
44:46 (reissue)
Label Posh Boy Records
Producer Daniel VanPatten
Professional reviews
Agent Orange chronology
Living in Darkness
(1981)
When You Least Expect It
(1983)

Living in Darkness is the 1981 release by the hardcore punk band Agent Orange. It was released on Posh Boy Records in 1981. It is, especially in its current expanded release, considered the best of Agent Orange's efforts. It showcases their punk sound with its metal and surf influences.

The original album consisted of eight tracks. In 1992, the album was expanded. Three unreleased tracks from the sessions, "Pipeline", "Breakdown", and "Mr. Moto", were added as well as the 1979 recordings that gave them their Posh Boy contract: "Bloodstains", "America", "Bored of You", and "El Dorado". A 1981 interview is also included. Liner notes were written by guitarist Mike Palm. In 1988, Agent Orange recorded a never released version of the album, entitled Living in Total Darkness.

Three songs are covers of classic surf instrumentals: "Pipeline" by The Chantays, "Miserlou" by Dick Dale, and "Mr. Moto" by The Bel-Airs.

Contents

Track listing

Original 1981 version

Side one

  1. "Too Young to Die" – 2:04
  2. "Everything Turns Grey" – 2:00
  3. "Miserlou" – 2:07
  4. "The Last Goodbye" – 2:49

Side two

  1. "No Such Thing" – 2:47
  2. "Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad" – 2:09
  3. "Bloodstains" – 1:44
  4. "Living in Darkness" – 4:13

CD reissue version

  1. "Bloodstains (Original Version)" – 1:53
  2. "Too Young to Die" – 2:04
  3. "Everything Turns Grey" – 2:00
  4. "Miserlou" – 2:07
  5. "The Last Goodbye" – 2:49
  6. "No Such Thing" – 2:47
  7. "Cry for Help in a World Gone Mad" – 2:09
  8. "Bloodstains (Darkness Version)" – 1:44
  9. "Living in Darkness" – 4:13
  10. "Pipeline" – 3:54
  11. "Breakdown" – 2:54
  12. "Mr. Moto" – 1:59
  13. "America" – 1:20
  14. "Bored of You" – 1:48
  15. "El Dorado" – 1:44
  16. "Interview 1981" – 9:21
  • Tracks 1, 13, and 14 originally from the Bloodstains EP (1980).
  • Tracks 10-12 originally from the Bitchin' Summer EP (1982).
  • Tracks 15-16 originally from the Eldorado EP (1990).

Personnel


 
 
Learn More
Real Live Sound (1990 Album by Agent Orange)
When You Least Expect It... [EP] (1984 Album by Agent Orange)
Beowulf and Lost My Head (2006 Album by Beowulf)

Where does batman live in The Dark Knight? Read answer...
What creatures live in the dark zone? Read answer...
Do spiders live in dark places? Read answer...

Help us answer these
Which band sang 'living in darkness'?
Can plants live in the dark?
Animals that live in the dark zone?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Living in Darkness" Read more