Bob Geldof's 'Deep in the Heart of Nowhere': Ambitious yet unremarkable

Deep in the Heart of Nowhere is the debut solo album by Bob Geldof, released in 1986. Bob Geldof embarked on a solo career after disbanding his previous band, The Boomtown Rats. After creating hits like "Rat Trap," Deep in the Heart of Nowhere was his first solo project, and it didn't seem to leave the biggest impression on people. The album was released on November 24, 1986 — the same day Eric Clapton, who appears on this album, released his own album, August.

The album blends various genres including rock, pop, and new wave (or a "broadening of punk culture," as new wave is sometimes defined). However, this album pretty much doesn't have a punk bone in its body. It was produced by Rupert Hine, who has worked with artists like Tina Turner, Rush, the Fixx, Thompson Twins, Stevie Nicks, Suzanne Vega, and Howard Jones, in addition to writing music for the film Better Off Dead.

Frankly, this is one of those albums I really couldn't get into, as I just didn't find much to latch onto. In fact, I couldn't help but compare the best tracks from this album to "Rat Trap," which just has more of a classic rock "zip" to it. Go ahead and compare! And look: I like to give good reviews, and I hate to phone in my thoughts, but this album is a solid "Meh" for me, at best.

Track Listing for Deep in the Heart of Nowhere

"This Is the World Calling"
"In the Pouring Rain"
"August Was a Heavy Month"
"Love Like a Rocket"
"I Cry Too"
"When I Was Young"
"This Heartless Heart"
"The Beat of the Night"
"Truly, True Blue"
"Pulled Apart by Horses"
"Words from Heaven"
"Good Boys in the Wrong"
"Night Turns to Day"
"Deep in the Heart of Nowhere"

Most notable tracks from Deep in the Heart of Nowhere

What can I say? Sometimes the well-known tracks from an album stand out for a reason. Though "This Is the World Calling" isn't particularly exciting, it's a track whose heart seems to be in the right place. That being said, a song bein conventionally likable doesn't always translate into replay value. Still, it reflects one of the best moments in an album that I don't hate but wasn't moved by. The music video is also nice enough, so there is that.

"This Is the World Calling" was co-written with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics and features backing vocals from Maria McKee and Annie Lennox. And then you have "Love Like a Rocket," which has that 1980s feel, though it seems too "by the book" as a song. It's not exactly a catchy song, but it's almost like it had the potential to become one. It also has an alright guitar solo, presumably provided by Eric Clapton (the album also has Brian Setzer of Stray Cats). That guitar solo is probably one of the highlights of the album.

While some might praise Geldof's songwriting and production quality, I feel it lacks the impact of his work with The Boomtown Rats (though they did release a new album in 2020, suggesting Bob saw sense in revitalizing that band). I have to add that I hate to seem like I'm beating up on the guy, whose charitable efforts have been criticized for some rather flimsy reasons. Still, I wanted to give an honest retro review here.

Commercial performance?

As far as I can tell, the album did not achieve significant commercial success, and I am not sure if it gained a cult following among fans of Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats. The video for "This Is the World Calling" did receive some rotation on MTV, but I think the album probably played it too safe creatively to catch most people's attention, and it wasn't as straight-head catchy as pop music is supposed to be.

Despite its mixed initial reception, and my less-than-enthusiastic review, Deep in the Heart of Nowhere" may be appreciated for its ambitious production and the personal themes explored by Geldof in the wake of his band's breakup. I just wish there was a moment or two where I could have exclaimed, "Wow! How did they do that?"