Exorcising Ghosts

Exorcising Ghosts
Compilation album by Japan
Released October 1984
Recorded 1979–1983
Length 88:02 (CD)
Label Virgin
Producer
  • Richard Barbieri
  • Steve Jansen
  • Mick Karn
  • Steve Nye
  • John Punter
  • David Sylvian
Japan chronology
Assemblage
(1981)		 Exorcising Ghosts
(1984)		 The Very Best of Japan
(2006)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Exorcising Ghosts is a compilation album by the British band Japan, released in October 1984 by record label Virgin.

Content

Exorcising Ghosts was compiled and produced in consultation with lead singer David Sylvian two years after Japan dissolved. It features three recordings from the band's early career on the Hansa Records label (such as 1979's Quiet Life) but mainly focuses on material from their two studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981).

Besides top 40 hit singles like "Quiet Life", "Visions of China", "Ghosts", and "Nightporter", the double-album set includes album tracks like "Methods of Dance", "Talking Drum" and "Swing" alongside a selection of rarities such as the single B-sides "A Foreign Place" and "Life Without Buildings", the 1981 remix of "Taking Islands in Africa", the instrumental studio recording "Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer" included on 1983's live album Oil on Canvas and the 12" mix of "The Art of Parties". Note: the abridged, single disc CD version of Exorcising Ghosts omits five of the sixteen tracks: "Swing", "A Foreign Place", "Taking Islands in Africa", "Sons of Pioneers" and "Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer".

Release

Exorcising Ghosts reached No. 45 in the UK Albums Chart[2] and was certified Gold (100,000 copies) by the BPI in February 1997.

Seven years after the release of Exorcising Ghosts Japan recorded a new studio album, but under the new moniker Rain Tree Crow.

Track listing

All tracks written by David Sylvian unless otherwise noted

Vinyl LP version

Side A

  1. "Methods Of Dance" - 6:50
  2. "Swing" - 7:04
  3. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - 7:08
  4. "Quiet Life" - 4:52

Side B

  1. "A Foreign Place" - 3:11 (Sylvian/Barbieri)
    • Instrumental, originally released as B-side of single "Quiet Life", 1980
  2. "Nightporter" - 6:48
  3. "My New Career" - 3:52
  4. "The Other Side Of Life" - 7:25

Side C

  1. "Visions of China" - 3:38 (Sylvian/Jansen)
  2. "Taking Islands In Africa" (Steve Nye Remix) (Ryuichi Sakamoto/David Sylvian) - 4:53
  3. "Ghosts" - 4:32
  4. "Sons Of Pioneers" - 7:07 (Sylvian/Karn)

Side D

  1. "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer" - 3:30 (Sylvian/Jansen)
  2. "Life Without Buildings" - 6:35
    • Originally released as B-side of 12" single "The Art of Parties", 1981
  3. "Talking Drum" (Edited intro) - 3:32
  4. "The Art Of Parties" (12" Mix) - 6:46
    • Original version appears on 1981 album Tin Drum

Cassette version

Side 1

  1. Methods of Dance
  2. Swing
  3. Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  4. Quiet Life
  5. A Foreign Place
  6. Nightporter
  7. My New Career
  8. The Other Side of Life

Side 2

  1. Visions of China
  2. Taking Islands in Africa
  3. Ghosts
  4. Sons of Pioneers
  5. Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer
  6. Life Without Buildings
  7. Talking Drum
  8. The Art of Parties

CD version

  1. Methods of Dance
  2. Gentlemen Take Polaroids
  3. Quiet Life
  4. Nightporter
  5. My New Career
  6. The Other Side of Life
  7. Visions of China
  8. Ghosts
  9. Life Without Buildings
  10. Talking Drum
  11. The Art of Parties

References

  1. ↑ Raggett, Ned (2011). "Exorcising Ghosts - Japan | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Japan albums Official charts

External links

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