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The Fine Art of Surfacing is the third album by Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats, released in June 1979.[1] The album peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart in 1979.[2]

The Fine Art of Surfacing
Studio album by The Boomtown Rats
Released	June 1979 (1979-06)
Recorded	November 1978 – February 1979
Studio	Phonogram (Hilversum, North Holland)
Genre	New wave[1]
Length	40:13
Label	Ensign Mulligan Columbia Mercury
Producer	Robert John "Mutt" Lange Phil Wainman
The Boomtown Rats chronology
A Tonic for the Troops (1978) The Fine Art of Surfacing (1979) Mondo Bongo (1981)

"I Don't Like Mondays" was released as the album's first single in July 1979[3] 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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide	B−[4]
The Irish Times	[5]
Smash Hits	3/10[6]

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."[7]

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

* A hidden track (with lyrics including "that's not funny, I'm not laughing"), on the original LP playing through to the run-out groove.

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

* A hidden track of a warped voice saying "That concludes episode 3. We will return..."

2005 re-release bonus tracks

1. "Episode 3" (a combination of both hidden tracks on the vinyl release) –1:10 [1]
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[8] and AllMusic.[9]

The Boomtown Rats

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

Additional musicians

• Fiachra Trench – string arrangement on "I Don't Like Mondays"

Technical

• Arun Chakraverty – mastering
• Fin Costello – photography
• Robert John "Mutt" Lange – production
• Chuck Loyola – inner sleeve artwork and design
• Lorne Miller – cover artwork and design
• Tony Platt – engineering
• Phay Taylor – lighting
• Phil Wainman – production on "I Don't Like Mondays"

Charts

Chart (1979–80)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[10]	11
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[11]	6
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12]	33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13]	35
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14]	10
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[15]	7
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[16]	10
UK Albums (OCC)[17]	7
US Billboard 200[18]	103

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[19]	Platinum	100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[20]	Gold	100,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

На других языках

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[de] The Fine Art of Surfacing

The Fine Art of Surfacing ist das dritte Album der Boomtown Rats und enthält die Hit-Singles I Don’t Like Mondays, Diamond Smiles und Someone’s Looking At You. Die Single I Don’t Like Mondays mit der B-Seite It’s All the Rage erschien im Juni 1979 und erreichte Ende Juli Platz eins der britischen Charts. Das Lied bezieht sich auf Brenda Ann Spencer, die am 29. Januar 1979 in San Diego, Kalifornien, ein Schulmassaker veranstaltete und zur Erklärung lediglich angab „ich mag keine Montage“.[2]

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- [en] The Fine Art of Surfacing

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[ru] The Fine Art of Surfacing

The Fine Art of Surfacing — третий студийный альбом ирландской группы The Boomtown Rats, записанный группой с продюсерами Маттом Лэнгом и Филом Вайнманом  (англ.) (рус. летом-осенью 1979 года и выпущенный 9 октября лейблом Ensign Records (в США — Columbia Records). Синглы из альбома — «Diamond Smiles» (# 13 UK), «Someone’s Looking at You» (#4 UK) и «I Don’t Like Mondays» стали хитами в Британии; последний в июле 1979 года возглавил британский хит-парад[9]. Альбом, поднявшийся до #7 в UK Albums Chart, был высоко оценен критиками, многие из которых называли его лучшим в карьере The Boomtown Rats.

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