A year removed from his work organizing the Live Aid concerts to raise money and awareness concerning famine in Africa, ex-Boomtown Rat lead singer Bob Geldof released his solo debut. Deep in the Heart of Nowhere features a host of name performers ranging from Midge Ure (Ultravox) to Brian Setzer (Stray Cats) to Eric Clapton lending a hand. The lyrics are a bit self-conscious and overreaching at moments, but, with all of the talent on board, the album does have some winning tracks. The single, This Is the World Calling, barely scraped into the charts, but is an anthemic plea to the cosmos with a heavenly background vocal trio of Maria Mckee, Annie Lennox, and Alison Moyet. "August Was a Heavy Month" and "Love Like a Rocket" both contain fluid, melodic guitar work from Clapton, with the latter being an infectiously catchy lyrical take-off on the Kinks' "Waterloo Sunset." Unfortunately, the second half begins to waver and the album, overall, is unfocused and less than the sum of some pretty spectacular parts. ~ Tom Demalon|

Rovi