Some songs which were played live but not included on the album included "Skylarking" and "Dreader Than Dread" (both released as B-sides on the "Shame and Scandal" single), "Wonderful World, Beautiful People", "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" and "It Miek", as well as the Prince Buster numbers "One Step Beyond" and "Madness", both of which the group had already released in 1979.

The live concerts also included Dangermen "covers" of a few of Madness' more ska-influenced original compositions, such as "Night Boat to Cairo" and "The Prince".

Each member of Madness has an alter ego in the Dangermen: The Guardian called the album "modestly agreeable listening", adding that "the translation from raucous pub to sober recording studio has squeezed out much of the combo's spontaneous lunacy.

"[9] Although reggae classics such as "Shame & Scandal" and "The Israelites" are faithfully reproduced, according to the Entertainment.ie website, they also felt that the album lacks the band's trademark quirky sense of humour.

[16] PopMatters wrote, "All the songs bop along at about the same pace, all interpreted in the same rocksteady style, and this makes the proceedings a bit wearisome towards the end.