Recent NYC radio interview

franna · V Deep

Recent NYC radio interview

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Listened to first part of the interview and it sounds quite good. Geldof is supremely articulate as always.

As regards the new album I don't think there is any one mood or mindset. I don't like the 'happy' or contented songs- its sorta like a Woody Allen movie without the neurosis. I rate six of the ten songs as being pretty good/decent while a few are just not my cup of tea. I have switched off Blow in mid flight on more than one occasion- I Just don't like it and Silly Pretty Things is just too personal to Bob for any objective listenener to empathise with. A bit like someone elses family holiday snaps.

Having said that How I Roll though derivative of the Loving Spoonful's Summer In The City is pretty good and the lyrics are worth checking out- ' does the devil come to get you at a quarter to four....'

Mary Says is really good and his voice sounds great. She's A Lover is also very good, possibly about Paula Yates , though open to interpretation. Two of the songs or pieces sound like Captain Beefheart- Systematic Six Pack and Blowfish and all the better for it. These are the tracks more likely to have a Pete Briquette influence so you may not like them, but to me the have an edginess in keeping with the Boomtown Rats sound and the are a lot more interesting than Dazzled By You.

I'm not too sure about Geldof's preoccupation with love- preferred the days when it 'doesen't last long/ its kinda like your health'.

Give it a fair go and if you like good lyrics Geldof generally delivers, though the tiny badly written lyrics on the cd do not exactly help- talk about hiding your light underneath a bush.

Most new music I listen to will generally return five or six good songs out of ten tracks and Bobs album is no different.I think the six good songs enhance his reputation or certainly do not distract from it- it may be slightly disappointing but life generally is!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

franna wrote:
I finally broke down and purchased How to Compose, listened to it once. There were a few enjoyable spots, but for the most part it just didn't resonate for me. I couldn't connect to Bob's current mindset or Pete's current musical choices. Ah well, perhaps next time.

Welcome back! Was over in US for last two weeks or so, but got out ahead of Irene (the hurricane that is).

I have yet to break down and buy the record. Have had a couple of listens on spotify, thought it was OK, and moved on (or more precisely back to Pulp/The new Rats).

I disconnected back around 1990 and can't see any chance of a Geldof re-connection.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I am currenty listening to the Complete Stone Roses and a double album of Sly and the Family Stone. Normally I listen to a few of the new Geldof album tracks when the mood takes me- unforced, sometimes when the lyrics resonate with events in my life.

Geldof could teach those oiks in Arcade Fire a thing about lyric writing. The lyrics of The Suburbs are pretty dreadful and a lot of the songs are not that good. Sound OF The Suburbs by The Members says more in one song.

I'm not trying to get anyone to listen to Geldof's music- he just about keeps ticking over for me not to have lost interest. I can only tell it as I see it!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Geldof could teach those oiks in Arcade Fire a thing about lyric writing. The lyrics of The Suburbs are pretty dreadful and a lot of the songs are not that good.

Tsk, tsk. Best album I have heard for a long time.

That said, Geldof is very good with lyrics on the whole, and if only he had continued to find the tunes/sounds to go with them..

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Geldof has loads of good tunes to go with his outstanding lyrics.

Re Arcade Fire I did generally like The Suburbs album but there were too many tracks on it. It should have been culled from 16 to about 11 or twelve for a start. I particularly liked City With No Children, Half Light 1, Rococo, Empty Room and Suburban War.

I found a lot of the lyrics very vague and wooly and it was unclear what the songs were about. What exactly were they saying- a lot of it didn't seem to make sense in you actually read the lyrics sheet with the album, but again none of the critics picked up on this- generally there was gushing praise all 'round. Just wait for the backlash! My pet hate in music is rubbish lyrics and a lot of the well regared bands seem to get away with murder in this regard. Its the musical equivelent of body off Baywatch, face off Crimewatch!

Here's a good Geldof tune and lyric

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-VKh1iDF_I