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Originally posted by: _johanna_
"everyone keeps saying how bad this album is, that it´s the weakest one, but is that the opinion of everyone here? I think that there are a few good songs one it, obviously banana republic but I´ve always liked hurt hurts aswell. what do you say? "

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I think it's better than V Deep.  There are a few very good songs on it (Banana Republic, Go Man Go, Fall Down, This is My Room, Elephant's Graveyard, Straight Up, Hurt Hurts), but it does contain the shockingly poor Another Piece of Red, and some other not so good tracks (Please Don't Go & Mood Mambo).   Though I prefer the first three albums and In the Long Grass, Mondo does get the occassional airing, and thanks to the wonders of CD programming, it's a very good 8/9 track album! I can live with Whitehall 1212 and Under Their Thumb. 

I find V Deep as far harder listen, as about half the tracks (original version) are ropey, and only a couple stand comparison with the Rats at their best.  In fact, had House on Fire made it onto Mondo Bongo (recorded at that time) then I could almost live without V Deep.

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Originally posted by: _johanna_
" oh, well, I actually like V Deep, it´s alot better than mondo bongo, it´s different from, what shall we call it, classical rats, but still good.. one of my favorite rats songs happens to be the little death, so i dont think I could live with out it...:)"

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I'm more of a classical rats fan   As far as I'm concerned, the first two albums are two of the greatest albums ever made (by anyone! Can only think of a handful of comparable albums), and though I do like most of the rest, they don't quite match up. 

Had Mood Mambo, Please Don't Go and Another Piece of Red not been on Mondo and were substituted by House on Fire, He Watches It All and A Storm Breaks (The Bitter End would have been better than Under Their Thumb as well), I think I would really love Mondo Bongo, and have it alongside the first two albums as an all-time favourite.  Man at The Top would have been a good Mondo Bongo track, rather than been left on the b-side of Banana Republic.

I always think of it as the album that could have been their greatest.  All it needed was someone to have been a bit objective, flesh out some tracks like This is My Room and abridge others like Mood Mambo.  Maybe even write a couple of new songs. Ultimately, I don't think it's a bad album, it just can be a little jarring at times, unlike the first three albums which were more consistent. 

Once I've got the audio off the DVD, I might make the ultimate Mondo Bongo remix! 

When Mondo Bongo came out in early 1981 I thought what the hell has gone on here. The first 3 albums were consistent with each other. Mondo Bongo was a complete diversion.  A number of my then school friends couldn't believe Mondo Bongo and together with the changing winds in the pop music world( New Romanticism etc) explains the fall in the Rats fortunes.

Having said all that, I like Mondo Bongo, probably more now than at the time. It didn't sound of its time and still I would find it hard to place. Yes its patchy and a number of things dont come off, but it has many fine moments. Agree about Mood Mambo.

V Deep on the other hand is one of my favourites. 

Never heard about House on Fire being on the Mondo Bongo sessions. How do you know this? Have you heard a different version (i.e luike Up all Night) and why wasn't it on Mondo Bongo.