Not the same album. Revisionist however you look at it.
gpdecuir | Denton, TX | 04/02/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I've waited a long time for Mondo Bongo to be re-released on CD only to find this is far less enjoyable a listen than my vinyl copy.
This new running order simply doesn't flow well, no matter what explanation Bob Geldof gives in the new liner notes. There's just no need to tamper this much with an album. In addition, upon closer inspection fans of the original album will note the 10 second long dramatic pause is now missing in the final song proper, Cheerio. It simply goes from the ultimatum "well you'd better hurry up and say something or else I'm gonna go..." straight into the response "okay that's fine by me, cheerio". Amazing how the omission of a mere 10 seconds of silence can turn a once clever gem into a pointless ditty. (Oh well, at least they included the "cheerio" lyrics as opposed to the 1981 CD release which leaves those words out altogether, chopping the song before it can really end!)
The Boomtown Rats released a great album in the early-80s which they deserve to be remembered for. However, this new drastically altered remaster isn't that album. I'm no vinyl purist, but looks like you're going to have to hunt down the vinyl (and possibly a turntable) if you want to hear what really went down when this album came out...in a time when New Wave bands thought ska, reggae, and BONGOS were cool and put them right up front to kick off an album (hence the album title).
The only really great feature of this remastered version of Mondo Bongo is the lovingly-designed packaging complete with a full-color foldout mini poster. Too bad it's wasted on the crummy CD inside.
Possilbly the Boomtown Rats' 5-star album, but this release is another failure to get it right.
Cheerio."
Finally!
Douglas Manion | 03/10/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've beeen waiting over twenty years to get this album on CD. Not quite as good as The Fine Art of Surfacing, but definitely the second best Rats album in my opinion, though I know many fans disagree. The one disappointment is the re-arranging of the tracks for the CD. It just didn't sound right not having Mood Mambo start the album, but I'm already getting used to the new order."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1