Customer Reviews

In the Long Grass

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Rat's had had it. From their wild and wooly days as young bucks to this final statement, they'd weathered the highs and lows of rock stardom, including the triumph of Live Aid. And yet the record company hacks couldn't quit meddling. As "In The Long Grass" was being prepared for an American release, Columbia got nervous that the amazing "Dave" would appear "too gay" for general consumption and forced the band to re-cut it as "Rain." And the horns on "Drag Me Down?" Had to go...

So with one last indignity suffered, The Boomtown Rats issued "In The Long Grass"...to once again a totally indifferent USA. Yet, this is easily the most mature and consistent album Geldolf and the boys ever did. The urge to do mad style jumping is absent, the songs extend a pessimistic and cynical view (considering Geldolf's African/Live Aid experience, understandably so), and the songs hold a tightly hewed vision minus the theatrics. Geldolf had stared real horror in the eye during his trips to Ethiopia, and suddenly writing a sequel to "I Never Loved Eva Bruan" probably felt juvenile.

The band plays their tails off on "In The Long Grass." Johnnie Fingers had ditched the PJ's and gone through a divorce, and both "Another Sad Story" and "Lucky" bite deep. Geldolf's "Drag Me Down" and "Tonight" are among the best work he's ever done. Lest you think things are all dour and darkness, there's the absolutely funky "An Icicle In The Sun." And in my mind, "Dave" remains a classic just waiting its turn at rediscovery. Geldolf's exhortation to a suicidal friend to keep holding on is bloody brilliant:

Dave, I see you bleed,
I know you feel the squeeze.
But please, believe,
the view from on your knees deceives.
Keep going, Dave.

Geldolf and The Rats parted ways after "In The Long Grass," and he embarked on a solo career that grew more pedantic and preachy as it continued. He needed his mates more than he realized, but nonetheless, "In The Long Grass" (which is slang for keeping a low profile) gave the Boomtown Rats a powerful note to leave the stage with.

Made in EU in 2005, Serial# 982-677-7, Playing Time 58:52

ALL of the lyrics enclosed...

If you're like me, you've been waiting to "retire" your vinyl pressing of this as soon as a CD version was made available.

Like all 6 re-releases of their albums, the remastering job is excellent! If you're reading this, you probably don't need a description of the genre of music (and talent) included.

Instead, I'll focus this somewhat brief review on the differences in content between the North American vinyl pressing and this CD issue:

a) there was already a difference between the UK and US versions of this album ("Dave" from the UK pressing was re-recorded with new lyrics as well for the US release, and renamed "Rain")
b) track 11 ("Dave (Single Version)") was originally released on the single of the same name
c) track 12 ("Walking Downtown") was originally released on the "Tonight" single
d) track 13 ("Precious Time") was also originally released on the "Tonight" single
e) track 14 ("She's Not The Best") is a home demo that, quite frankly, could have stayed at home... but on the bright side, the only track I hadn't heard before

Because of its lack of "true" extra stuff, the least worthwhile purchase (then again, you can finally hear this music without all the surface noise of your vinyl!)

1. Dave
2. Over And Over
3. Drag Me Down
4. A Hold Of Me
5. Another Sad Story
6. Tonight
7. Hard Times
8. Lucky
9. An Icicle In The Sun
10. Up Or Down

The Boomtown Rats have given music lovers in the US yet another opportunity to ignore them. Didn't help that the first time around, late 70s and early 80s, the band's relations with US radio got off to a lovely start when Geldof set out on a promotional tour and seemed bent on alienating every radio programming director he met.

When this last Rats album was released, the US label initially refused it (until "Dave" was butchered into "Rain"). "In the Long Grass" was almost universally panned as an overly dark and pessimistic work. Not that there are examples of light, happy songs on earlier efforts. This album sizzles with cynicism, and the CD bumps the cynical edge into the next realm by including the brilliant B-sides "Walking Downtown" (which features one of my all-time favorite lines: "sometimes I feel like the first person to step foot in America who turned around and thought `what the f* is this?'") and "Precious Time."

Yes the track order of these re-issues is idiotic and is as though they found the worst running order possible to irritate fans. They knew customers would then give it 3 stars and the CD would be destined to continue to sell terribly. That said there is a program function on every CD player. It takes a full minute to program the old track order. I can easily see why the Rats are pessimistic. They do receive the worst luck possible. They were unfairly ripped on by the British Press and even now little things like getting three star ratings from those that consider this a classic 5 star CD because the tracks aren't in their original order and nothing else continue to plague them. This is a classic CD that should start out with the inspirational positive anthem that is one of the most powerful songs ever recorded, "A Hold Of Me", a perfect lead off track. Follow this with "Draggin Me Down", which continues with unbridled passion leading into the single, "Dave", another classic that is truly heart wrenching. The next two songs have grown on me, but are the only ones I would consider filler. Side two is perfect from beginning to end. A true masterpiece that will be completely ignored except by a few, who like me, will treasure this masterpiece.

I Love this album, the US version! I have the vinyl and the cassette. Each song is great in it's own way. I have been waiting for years for this cd to be released. So much the better that it is Remastered. While the remastering is superb, I am very disappointed in the way the song "Rain" was omitted. "Rain would have been a great bonus track, especially because it was a single in the U.S.! I like "Dave" the single version, but the track one version could have been omitted. I'm personally indifferent to the plight of Heroin addicts (even if it produces so called great poetry). I prefer the poetry using rain, with the images it can conjure. In this case dark, at the end of a relationship, it is still beautiful. Many great songs have been written using the imagery of rain, for example "Rain" by The Cult. The more I listened the more I started to notice other tracks differing from what I am familiar. Also "Drag Me Down", I prefer the US version! Lastly, the problem of the track line-up. At least Bob Geldof apologized in the liner notes for the change. I would have given this review 5 stars but for my preferences.


It would be nice if other reviewers stuck to the business of reviewing the material rather than adding commentary on (calling out) other reviewers. It is very immature and douche-like. I'm am allowed to have my own opinion and voice. Also, the regurgitation of commentary from Geldof's autobiography is rather unoriginal (plagurism). It's humorous and invasive that one would suggest burning a copy, on a site meant for sales of the original product. When jamming music it is not my preference to take the time to use program features on my cd player in order to hear the tracks in a particular order (especially in a carousel type player). That would be a mood killer and a pain in the arse. If that was Geldof's intent, it is counterproductive to sales. Music is a business. If it doesn't sell, you're out of business. Sorry I'm not a mindless liberal lemming! However I have burned a copy of the U.S. vinyl and remastered it myself.