Exorcising Ghosts

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

Exorcising Ghosts
Compilation album by
Japan
Released26 November 1984[1]
Recorded1979–1983
Length86:27 (LP)
61:09 (CD)
LabelVirgin
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[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]

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".

As to fit the album onto a single disc, the original CD release omitted 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[4] and was certified Gold (100,000 copies) by the BPI in February 1997.[5]

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 are written by David Sylvian, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleFrom the albumLength
1."Methods of Dance"Gentlemen Take Polaroids6:46
2."Swing"Gentlemen Take Polaroids6:20
3."Gentlemen Take Polaroids"Gentlemen Take Polaroids7:04
4."Quiet Life"Quiet Life4:47
Total length:24:57
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
5."A Foreign Place"Sylvian, Richard Barbieri1981 B-side of the single "Quiet Life"3:11
6."Nightporter" Gentlemen Take Polaroids6:49
7."My New Career" Gentlemen Take Polaroids3:50
8."The Other Side of Life" Quiet Life7:22
Total length:21:12 (46:09)
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
9."Visions of China"Sylvian, Steve JansenTin Drum3:38
10."Taking Islands in Africa" (Steve Nye Remix)Sylvian, Ryuichi SakamotoOriginal version appears on Gentlemen Take Polaroids4:55
11."Ghosts" Tin Drum4:30
12."Sons of Pioneers"Sylvian, Mick KarnTin Drum7:08
Total length:20:11
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
13."Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer"Sylvian, JansenOil on Canvas3:21
14."Life Without Buildings" B-side of the 12" single "The Art of Parties"6:34
15."Talking Drum" (Edited intro) Tin Drum3:31
16."The Art of Parties" (12" Version) Original version appears on Tin Drum6:41
Total length:20:07 (40:18) (86:27)

CD release (1984)
No.TitleLength
1."Methods of Dance"6:50
2."Gentlemen Take Polaroids"7:04
3."Quiet Life"4:52
4."Nightporter"6:48
5."My New Career"3:52
6."The Other Side of Life"7:25
7."Visions of China"3:38
8."Ghosts"4:32
9."Life Without Buildings"6:35
10."Talking Drum" (Edited intro)3:32
11."The Art of Parties" (12" Version)6:46
Total length:61:09

References
  1. "News". Record Mirror: 4. 24 November 1984. Retrieved 18 February 2021 – via flickr.com.
  2. Raggett, Ned (2011). "Exorcising Ghosts - Japan | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press.
  4. Japan albums Official charts
  5. "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry.
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