The Fine Art of Surfacing

Infobox Album
Name = The Fine Art of Surfacing
Type = Studio album
Artist = The Boomtown Rats


Released = October 9 1979
Recorded = 1979
Genre = Rock
Length = 40:13
Label = Ensign Records (UK)
Columbia Records (USA)
Producer = Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Phil Wainman
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:eduj6j2471q0 link]
*Robert Christgau (B-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=boomtown+rats link]
*"Rolling Stone" (not rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theboomtownrats/albums/album/109807/rid/5945493/ link]
Last album = "A Tonic for the Troops" (1978)
This album = "The Fine Art of Surfacing" (1979)
Next album = "Mondo Bongo" (1981)

"The Fine Art of Surfacing" was The Boomtown Rats' third album and contained the hit-single releases, "I Don't Like Mondays", "Diamond Smiles" and "Someone's Looking At You." "I Don't Like Mondays" b/w "It's All the Rage" was released in June 1979, and hit #1 in late July in the UK in the same year (the song refers to Brenda Ann Spencer's killing spree on Monday, January 29 1979 in San Diego, California).

"The Fine Art of Surfacing" is critically acclaimed as the best album the Boomtown Rats ever released, as well as one of the greatest albums of 1979. The album came at a time where the Boomtown Rats were flying high in Great Britain, at their peak, success-wise.

Following the release of their very successful LP, "A Tonic For The Troops", in 1978, the Boomtown Rats embarked upon a tour around England that became a hit and was called the "third best live rock gig" by "Billboard" behind only Queen and ELOFact|date=February 2007.

Bob Geldof also went around America leading up to "The Fine Art of Surfacing", drumming up publicity for the band in the States. During this time the Rats learned much about both American life and breaking into the American music market. This is a recurring theme on the album, sometimes taking a serious approach in looking at American society, in songs like "I Don't Like Mondays" and "Diamond Smiles," while other times looking at it in a downright silly and mocking manner in songs like "Nothing Happened Today" and "Having My Picture Taken," the LP takes aim at 1979 life in classic punk style.

Musically, however, this album is, for the most part, quite a departure from the Rats' punk influences that came across so clearly in their debut LP and "Tonic for the Troops". The Rats display many styles in this album from a wide range of influences.

In 2005, this album was re-released (it had previously been released but fell out of print quickly), digitally remastered by Bob Geldof and Pete Briquette with bonus tracks that delve more deeply into the Rats' musical influences.

Track listing

All songs written by Bob Geldof unless otherwise indicated.
# "Someone's Looking at You" – 4:22
# "Diamond Smiles" – 3:49
# "Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)" – 4:35
# "Having My Picture Taken" (Geldof, Pete Briquette) – 3:18
# "Sleep (Fingers' Lullaby)" (Johnnie Fingers) – 5:30
# "I Don't Like Mondays" – 4:16
# "Nothing Happened Today" – 3:18
# "Keep It Up" (Geldof, Gerry Cott) – 3:39
# "Nice N Neat" – 2:50
# "When the Night Comes" – 5:00

2005 re-release bonus tracks

# "Episode 3" – 1:10
# "Real Different" (b-side) – 2:39
# "How Do You Do?" (b-side) – 2:39
# "Late Last Night" (b-side) – 2:43
# "Nothing Happened Today" (Live in Cardiff) – 3:44

Personnel

*Bob Geldof – vocals, saxophone
*Pete Briquette – bass, vocals
*Gerry Cott – guitar
*Johnnie Fingers – keyboards, vocals
*Simon Crowe – drums, vocals
*Garry Roberts – guitar, vocals

Charts

Album