The Fine Art of Surfacing explained

The Fine Art of Surfacing
Type:studio
Artist:the Boomtown Rats
Cover:Boomtown Rats - The Fine Art Of Surfacing album cover.jpg
Recorded:November 1978 – February 1979
Studio:Phonogram, Hilversum, Netherlands
Genre:
Length:40:13
Prev Title:A Tonic for the Troops
Prev Year:1978
Next Title:Mondo Bongo
Next Year:1981

The Fine Art of Surfacing is the third album by Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, released in June 1979. The album peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart in 1979.

"I Don't Like Mondays" was released as the album's first single in July 1979 and reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The song refers to Brenda Ann Spencer's killing spree, which occurred on Monday, 29 January 1979 in San Diego, California. The album also produced the singles "Diamond Smiles" and "Someone's Looking at You".

The Boomtown Rats travelled around the United States leading up to The Fine Art of Surfacing, drumming up publicity in the country. During this time the band learned much about both American life and breaking into the American music market. The album takes 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, as in songs like "Nothing Happened Today" and "Having My Picture Taken".

In 2005, the 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, mostly B-sides from various eras, that delve more deeply into the Rats' musical influences.

Reception

David Fricke of Rolling Stone highlighted the album's musical diversity, writing that "much of the Boomtown Rats' smarmy charm comes from an elusiveness that defies categorization because it draws from dozens of sources but embraces none."[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Bob Geldof unless otherwise indicated.

1979 Vinyl Release

Side A

  1. "Someone's Looking at You" – 4:22
  2. "Diamond Smiles" – 3:49
  3. "Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)" – 4:35
  4. "Having My Picture Taken" (Geldof, Pete Briquette) – 3:18
  5. "Sleep (Fingers' Lullaby)" (Johnnie Fingers) – 5:30

Side B
  1. "I Don't Like Mondays" (Geldof, Johnnie Fingers) – 4:16
  2. "Nothing Happened Today" – 3:18
  3. "Keep It Up" (Geldof, Gerry Cott) – 3:39
  4. "Nice N Neat" – 2:50
  5. "When the Night Comes" – 5:00

2005 re-release bonus tracks

  1. "Episode 3" (a combination of both hidden tracks on the vinyl release) –1:10
  2. "Real Different" (B-side of "Elephant's Graveyard") – 2:39
  3. "How Do You Do?" (B-side of "Like Clockwork") – 2:39
  4. "Late Last Night" (B-side of "Diamond Smiles") – 2:43
  5. "Nothing Happened Today" (Live in Cardiff) – 3:44

Personnel

Credits adapted from album liner notes[4] and AllMusic.[5]

The Boomtown Rats

Additional musicians

Technical

Notes and References

  1. Book: Harcourt, Nic . 2005 . Music Lust. Erin Go Bragh: Irish Music. . Seattle . 56. 1570614377.
  2. Book: Roberts. David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. British Hit Singles & Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. 19th. 1-904994-10-5. 71.
  3. Fricke. David. David Fricke. 21 February 1980. The Boomtown Rats: The Fine Art Of Surfacing. Rolling Stone. 7 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20060328234027/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/theboomtownrats/albums/album/109807/rid/5945493/. 28 March 2006. dead.
  4. The Fine Art of Surfacing. The Boomtown Rats. Ensign Records. 1979. ENROX 11. liner notes.
  5. Web site: The Fine Art of Surfacing – The Boomtown Rats | Credits. AllMusic. 9 April 2014.
  6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). 1993. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. illustrated. 0-646-11917-6. 42.

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