The Fine Art of Surfacing [Original recording remastered] [Import]

1. Someone's Looking at You

2. Diamond Smiles

3. Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)

4. Having My Picture Taken

5. Sleep (Fingers Lullaby)

6. I Don't Like Mondays

7. Nothing Happened Today

8. Keep It Up

9. Nice n Neat

10. When the Night Comes

11. Episode #3

12. Real Different [B-Side][*]

13. How Do You Do? [B-Side][*]

14. Late Last Night [B-Side][*]

15. Nothing Happened Today [Live in Cardiff][Live][*]

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
2005 remastered reissue of 1979 and 3rd album from The Boomtown Rats featuring frontman Bob Geldof. Contains 4 bonus tracks 'Real Different' (B-side), 'How Do You Do' (B-side), 'Late Last Night' (B-side) & 'Nothing Happened Today' (live in Cardiff). Mercury.

The Fine Art of Surfacing,The Boomtown Rats,Fontana Int'l,British Punk,Ireland,New Wave,Pop,Punk,Rock,Rock/Pop

The Fine Art of Surfacing [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Average customer rating:

In the end there's dancing, songs and smiles.
Way too digital
The Fine Art of the Boomtown Rats
an excellent bit of the "new wave"
Greatest album, but...

The Fine Art of Surfacing
The Boomtown Rats
Manufacturer: Ume Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Best Of
Boomtown Rats - Live at Hammersmith Odeon 1978
You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic
Sex Age & Death
Tonic for the Troops

ASIN: B00076SJPA
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

Someone's Looking at You
Diamond Smiles
Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)
Having My Picture Taken
Sleep (Fingers Lullaby)
I Don't Like Mondays
Nothing Happened Today
Keep It Up
Nice N Neat
When the Night Comes
Episode #3 [*]
Real Different [*]
How Do You Do? [*]
Late Last Night [*]
Nothing Happened Today [Live in Cardiff][Live][*]

Album Description

2005 remastered reissue of 1979 and 3rd album from The Boomtown Rats featuring frontman Bob Geldof. Contains 4 bonus tracks 'Real Different' (B-side), 'How Do You Do' (B-side), 'Late Last Night' (B-side) & 'Nothing Happened Today' (live in Cardiff). Mercury.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered by Jon Astley and Comes with a Stack of Rare Or Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks, Demos, B-sides and Live Cuts, all Overseen by Bob Geldof and Boomtown Bassist, Pete Briquette.

Customer Reviews:

In the end there's dancing, songs and smiles........2007-01-21

The Boomtown Rats made a big leap to art-rock on their third album. They'd advanced their ambitions quickly over two albums, going from punky power rockers to anthems of the common Englander. For "The Fine Art Of Surfacing," they began to go for bigger things. The first single was unlike anything else they'd attempted, the controversial "I Don't Like Mondays." No guitars, just piano and an orchestra. The payoff was a huge international hit everywhere but the US.

It also found Bob Geldof moving on to darker themes. Granted, the first two albums played with themes of suicide and paranoia, but for every "Living On an Island" on "Tonic," there was also a more lighthearted "She's So Modern." On "The Fine Art Of Surfacing," the songs are still often exuberant and hook laden, but thematically, never quite as chipper. It makes for some great songs again, especially "Wind Chill Factor Minus Zero" and "Sleep (Fingers' Lullaby)." "Surfacing" was the last excellent Rats album. While "Mondo Bongo" had its moments, the Boomtown Rats' records after this were never as even or as exciting.

I do have a quibble about the re-master on "Surfacing." It seems to have been mastered way too "hot" for some of the songs. The drums and percussion compress out - especially on "Someone's Looking At You" and "Wind Chill Factor Minus Zero" - and distort. For a re-master, that's bad news.

Way too digital.......2006-12-13

Like many others, I have waited a long time for this to become available on CD again. It is one of my favorite albums. However upon listening with headphones (is there any other way?) the digital noise usually associated with low bitrate mp3s is everywhere. Particularly "Mondays", "Keep It Up", "Nice & Neat" and blatantly on "Episode #3". In comparing it to a CD copy of my own clean record, the sound of that, digitized though it may be, is much better than this release. Maybe we have become so digital that most of us no longer hear these imperfections, but as an avid present-day record listener, I recommend saving your money and putting it towards a quality turntable. Remaster? Possibly. High quality? Definitely not.

The Fine Art of the Boomtown Rats.......2006-11-05

I saw the Boomtown Rats the first time on the tv show FRIDAYS in 1979 or 1980 and have been in love since.
Everyone loves "Mondays", but "Diamond Smiles" is my friends all time fave and I will always love "Having My Picture Taken" or maybe "Sleep" or maybe, well, every song on this record is good.
This is a GREAT album.

an excellent bit of the "new wave".......2005-07-12

most people tend to write reviews because they really love a cd, or they really hate it. this is, by far the best rats cd/album. i am so happy it is finally available on cd. "mondays" of course, is the famous track, but its all good: life, love, paranoia: the rat's take on it is delivered with fine musicianship, great production, and bob geldof's sneer. i dont even care about the bonus tracks, they are o.k., the main album is wonderful and highly reccomended.

Greatest album, but..........2005-06-03

Greatest rats album, great re-issue etc...

BUT, To disagree with the reviewer below. Episode 3 is screwed up. The Episode 3 part was indeed on the end of the album. But the 'That's not funny, I'm not laughing' part was at the end of side 1 (after Sleep). Why it was taken off it's rightful place and put after the 'This concludes episode 3', the true end of the album is beyond me.

But, how can I complain. This was probably THE greatest rock album not available on CD, and now it is, and it sounds great!

Average customer rating:

this is one of my favorite albums of all time
Rising Talents!
The Fine Art of Rats

The Fine Art of Surfacing
The Boomtown Rats
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Someone's Looking at You
Diamond Smiles
Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)
Having My Picture Taken
Sleep (Fingers Lullaby)
I Don't Like Mondays
Nothing Happened Today
Keep It Up
Nice n Neat
When the Night Comes
Episode #3

Customer Reviews:

this is one of my favorite albums of all time.......2004-10-02

the problem is that while less brillant things from the 80's are easily available...this is a expensive find at best...i've got it on vinyl and cassette and am working toward getting the ever hard (and costly) CD of it...this is a must...you have a serious void in your collection without this release...in my top 10 of all time (that despite of I dont like mondays...which..while great never fits in the overall all scheme of a masterpiece of a recording!!!

Rising Talents!.......2003-10-15

The Boomtown Rats had advanced their ambitions quickly over two albums, going from punky power rocks to anthems of the common Englander. For the third album, they began to go for the arty. The first single was unlike anything else they'd attempted, the controversial "I Don't Like Mondays." No guitars, just piano and an orchestra. The payoff was a huge international hit everywhere but the US.

It also finds Bob Geldof moving on to darker themes. Granted, the first two albums played with themes of suicide and paranoia, but for every "Living On an Island" on "Tonic," there was also a more lighthearted "She's So Modern." On "The Fine Art Of Surfacing," the songs are still often exuberant and hook laden, but thematically, never quite as chipper. It makes for some great songs again, especially "Wind Cill Factor Minus Zero" and "Sleep (Fingers' Lullaby)." "Surfacing" was the last excellent Rats album, even though "Mondo Bongo" has its moments, the Boomtown Rats' records after this were never as even or as exciting.

The Fine Art of Rats.......2003-04-22

This is the ONE! After 'Tonic for the Troops' and before 'Mondo Bongo'. The 3rd album, it has "I Don't Like Mondays" and then it gets better. "Somethings Looking At You". "Diamond Smiles" with the gold lame belt. "Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)". - 'In the end there's dancing songs and smiles. We need lots of smiles.' "Having My Picture Taken". - 'Best I've ever done it'. "Fingers Lullaby" - a lullaby for adults. And that's only side 1. "Mondays" - terror on the playground. Even banned for a while. "Nothing Happened Today" - bit like The Police's "Any Other Day" quirky with a driving beat. "Keep It Up" - 'Does it let you down - Sometimes.' "Nice N Neat" - drumming featured and concoctions of religion. "When The Night Comes" - Relax and unwind. "This concludes episode 3, we will return shortly." Bring on the BOX SET, please.