"I actually rate 5 stars to the band, but only 1 star to the CD quality. I bought this CD because I own the album (33RPM record (yeah, I'm old)) but I wanted to listen to it on CD. The music on this CD is great (the band is great), but the quality of the CD is very poor. You have to turn the volume way up and it still isn't very loud and/or clear - obviously not a fault of Agent Orange. I think the producers could have done a better job re-releasing this on CD. Buy it to listen to Agent Orange, but beware of the poor quality recording."
Give 'Em A Break, It Was The Mid-Eighties!
A. Duguay | Massachusetts | 03/22/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"You have to understand something important about the TIME when this was recorded. The mid-eighties were ugly for punk. Lots of bands were hurt by "big sounding" production (Youth Brigade, GBH, The Exploited and FEAR to name a few) and Agent Orange were one of them. Punk was maturing at this point and many bands thought this sound was the way to go. While this isn't as powerful as their early Posh Boy material, it's still an important album with some great songs. The production may turn you off at first, but give it a chance. It's a great record nonetheless."
You need this CD!
A. Duguay | 11/19/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is just an outstanding album by a great band. The introspective and positive lyrics are worth the price of admission alone. The songs are catchy without being cheesy. I loved it when I was 18 and I like it even better now that I'm 30. Its got a driving 'punk' kind of feel but the musicianship is top-notch and the production is clean(thats why I put punk in quotes!). Check it out!"
This has power ... if you can stand volume at 10.
Ian M. | 01/25/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Living in Darkness has a raw power to it that leaves your ears and mind tired (a good thing).This album would do the same if not for the poor sound quality. Same driving guitars and catchy sound. THe problem - the sound is distant. Similar to PJ Harvey's CD Chronology - Dry (raw, piercing sound, which rates a top 5 CD in my collection) to Rid of Me (which is so distant and non-motivating it makes you wonder what was going on in the studio). This is still one of my favorite CD's (where Rid of Me is not). If you have a good sound system and can crank it up, it still rates as a great CD that is a classic of my collection."
Amazing record, TERRIBLE SOUND QUALITY!
Ian M. | Tallahassee, FL | 06/15/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is hands-down the best Agent Orange album. Unfortunatly, the label really screwed up on the mastering of this disc. It is almost unlistenable in it's current form on this CD. It's not the production,(I have it on LP and CASS as well) it's the mastering. I would recomend getting "Sonic Snake Sessions" instead. It has the original recordings from this disc all remastered. You will have to pay a higher price, and considering the mediocre bonus tracks (an EP and a not so hot live album) it does kinda feel like a rip-off. But hey, you have no choice."