Exorcising Ghosts

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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 features the 7" single version of "The Art Of Parties" and 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 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
   • From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
2. "Swing" - 7:04
   • From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
3. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" - 7:08
   • From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
4. "Quiet Life" - 4:52
   • From 1979 album Quiet Life

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
   • From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
3. "My New Career" - 3:52
   • From 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
4. "The Other Side Of Life" - 7:25
   • From 1979 album Quiet Life

Side C

1. "Visions of China" - 3:38 (Sylvian/Jansen)
   • From 1981 album Tin Drum
2. "Taking Islands In Africa" (Steve Nye Remix) (Ryuichi Sakamoto/David Sylvian) - 4:53
   • Original version appears on 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids
3. "Ghosts" - 4:32
   • From 1981 album Tin Drum
4. "Sons Of Pioneers" - 7:07 (Sylvian/Karn)
   • From 1981 album Tin Drum

Side D

1. "Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer" - 3:30 (Sylvian/Jansen)
   • Instrumental, from 1983 album Oil on Canvas
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
   • From 1981 album Tin Drum
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 (edited intro)
11. The Art of Parties (single version)

External links

• Exorcising Ghosts at Discogs (list of releases)
• Exorcising Ghosts release group on musicbrainz.org
• Exorcising Ghosts at allmusic.com