Customer Reviews

Great Songs Of Indifference : The Best Of Bob Geldof & The Boomtown Rats

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There were 6 Rats albums and 3 or 4 solo albums. This album seeks to span the whole lot with the result that it is weak. I was so appalled by the track listing, I downloaded software from the net and recorded all 6 onto CD from the original vinyl. The biggest problem with this type of condensed album is that record companies think that this is enough and the original albums and b-sides are never heard of again. Ever heard the Rats version of "Barefootin"? Ever think you will? My own Rats compilation stretches to 2 CDs and there isn't a bad track on it. If you don't have access to the originals, go ahead and buy this. If you do have them, spend the money on software and record them onto CD.

Though I don't own this greatest hits collection, I do own The Boomtown Rats and all three Geldof solo cds. I can tell just by looking at the track listing that the record company is at it again trying to make money off of unsuspecting consumers. If you like the Boomtown Rats, buy their greatest hits. If you like Bob Geldof, try getting his three solo cds. They're out of print in the U.S.A., but they are worth having. All three solo cds vary greatly in musical content as Bob is a musical connoisseur of sorts. The best reason to look into Bob's music is not his singing but his songwriting. He's witty, poignant, and in my opinion, a genius. I usually write reviews about what to buy, but occasionally I see something that people shouldn't buy. This compilations lacks scope and quality. A true compilation would be two or three discs in length and cover all the Boomtown Rats cds and Bob Geldof cds. This compilation fails. It's like getting a compilation of Billy Joel without "Piano Man", "Allentown", "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Just The Way You Are" on it. Buy at your own risk.

This is a collection of the best songs from Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats. It goes together oddly because you have punk with the boomtown rats, then you have kind of typical 80s music with Bob Geldof. Personnaly I enjoy Bob Geldof's autobiography "is that it", much more than his music. Worth getting both the cd and the book

The Boomtown Rats and Bob Geldof went from peppy youthful exuberance to downtrodden world on their shoulders rock stars in a fairly short amount of time. This collection chronicles that voyage, including Sir Bob's three solo albums prior to this disc. Frankly, his work post Rats isn't all that astounding, it seemed he needed them more than he cared to admit. Any of his solo tracks could have been replaced by The Rats' "Dave," "Never In A Million Years," "Joey's On The Street Again" or "Up All Night." But I guess since a 1987 ten track "Greatest Hits" (long gone out of print) had most of those, I figure CBS thought they needed to lure in those of us that still had that CD into making a fresh purchase of old material.

Either way, if you have no other Boomtown Rats discs, this is a good primer. It has the controversial ballad "I Don't Like Mondays," the Springsteenish "Rat Trap," the Irish Reggae of "Banana Republic" and two hall of fame rockers with "Mary Of The Fourth Form" and "She's So Modern." Maybe we'll get all the original discs reissued someday (included a properly mastered "Mondo Bongo"!) with some of the great B-sides. Till then, this will do.

How can any best of collection not include Joey's on the Street Again? ALSO, combining Boomtown Rats with Bob Geldof's solo material is incongruous. If you want a sample and have no other options, buy this. Otherwise, keep searching...

The public knows Bob Geldof in many different capacities: humanitarian, music, movies, books and radio shows. Clearly, the guy has led a busy life. Perhaps because of his varied interests and talents, Geldof is not afraid to incorparate varied genres within his rock and roll repetoire. This album is such a hodge-podge of different songs so completely across the board in terms of style, that it's actually a little disjointed in its entirety. There's piano, synthisizers, women singing in the background, horns, accordians, violins, mandolins and the inevitable soulful harmonica. The kitchen sink might be somewhere within the back half of the album.

Whether Geldof is being cynical, hopeful or telling a story, musically these songs contain a very bright, sunny feel. Geldof creates cerebral pop music, music with a conscience; even the tunes with stories in them are very well thought out. "This is the World Calling" is Geldof once again conjuring the big picture of life, subtly urging everyone to work together in a gigantic Live Aid fashion. Songs like these show Geldof to be far from the self-centered character he played in "The Wall," or the monster he is portrayed as by the press (sometimes). Interestingly, "World Calling" sounds a lot like a David Gilmour About Face solo tune. "The Great Song of Indifference" is a great Irish jig, with Geldof singing as a narrator who is completely uncaring of his surroundings -- perhaps something Geldof observes in people everywhere. "Indifference" begins as a quiet acoustic song and builds to a great Celtic dance. Geldof even successfully tries his hand at reggae on "Banana Republic" and the excellent "House on Fire." Who would have thought this nasally Irish rocker could pull that off? It would have been nice to have more raw-sounding rockers like the closers on the album, "Mary of the Fourth Form" and "Looking After Number One," but this is a musically bountiful, very diverse album, one that I would recommend to anyone wanting to hear something different in his or her rock music. Elements of pop, reggae, punk, Celtic, new wave and even songs that would fit the adult contemporary category can all be found here. Rock on, Sir Bob!

Can somebody please put out a Rats best-of with "Up All Night" on it ? Or how about a best of with no Geldof solo material on it ? A great humanitarian he is,of course, but that's no excuse to make us listen to his non-hits.

From the megahit "I Don't Like Mondays" to the almost unheardof "Beat of the Night," this album presents Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats at their best, along with material that serves to remind the listener that no one is perfect.

Regardless of the few weaknesses of the Album (Beat of the Night being my least favorite of the tunes), the majority of the classics are there. My three favorites (Diamond Smiles, Someone's Looking at You, and Rat Trap) are provided, and other excellent songs like This is the World Calling, She's So Modern, and I Don't Like Mondays make this cd a must have! It's certainly worth the price.

First exposed to Bob Geldof in Pink Floyd the Wall, I hunted a record store for something he'd attributed his many facets of talent. Immediately the record store clerk (yes, in the 80's it WAS a record store!) showed me the collections of Boomtown Rats. I wandered off with the Fine Art of Surfacing.

Days later, I returned for more of the cassettes. I made it a point to have their entire collection. At the time, it was exactly what I needed, something very different from the mainstream fodder that cluttered the airways. "I Don't Like Mondays" had minimal play at any station (I've never seen the video to this day) and no one was willing to listen to the great difference these lads from Ireland were creating.

I feel their music was highly underrated. When Bob Geldof went off on his own, a friend ended up with Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere before I laid my hands on it. I went through 3 copies of the cassette. Only last year (2001) had I acquired the CD from a gentleman in Ireland selling it on EBay!

The collection on Great Song Of Indifference are a good taste of what the Boomtown Rats were about, plus a strong helping of Bob Geldof on his own. I have strong admiration for Bob Geldof after reading his autobiography Is That It, which features his strong sense of word and flow. If you're looking for a different sound that only these people could make from the 80's, this is for you.

Worth the money. How refreshing to hear the Rats on disc-- timeless beats and themes.