Exorcising Ghosts

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You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. The print, has been made from a high-resolution scan of the original 5” x 4” colour transparency of the actual painting used for the album’s cover. This career spanning ‘Best of’ features three recordings from the band’s early career on the Hansa Records label (including 1979’s Quiet Life) but mainly focuses on material from their two seminal studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981). David Sylvian and Mick Karn etc produced some great songs during their time together and this CD encapsulates that period brilliantly.

Limited edition print of the complete mixed media painting made for use on the gatefold album cover of Japan’s compilation double album Exorcising Ghosts (1984).Japan’s 1984 compilation Exorcising Ghosts will be reissued as a half-speed mastered 2LP vinyl set, in October. 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).

It features three recordings from the band’s early career on the Hansa Records label (including 1979’s ‘Quiet Life’) but largely focuses on material from their two studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981). Mastering on LP1 was warm but a bit murky (vocals), however the instrumentation definitely did seem crisper and more detailed - just a shame neither copy were playable throughout. This career spanning ‘Best of’ features three recordings from the band’s early career on the Hansa Records label (including 1979’s “Quiet Life”) but mainly focuses on material from their two seminal studio albums on Virgin Records; Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981).The album was compiled and produced in consultation with lead singer David Sylvian, two years after Japan dissolved. Unfortunately, what was true in Japan was not true in the UK; therefore, the album's promotion, mentioning 'unreleased tracks', was incorrect for the domestic market, attracting criticism at the time. Not sure if this just applies to later batches as couldn't find anyone else commenting about warped vinyl. 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".

It’s notable for a few song variations, including the 1981 remix of ‘Taking Islands in Africa’ and the extended version of ‘The Art of Parties’. I used to have this on vinyl and it includes all their best known material from 'Quiet Life', 'Ghosts' and 'Night Porter' to the less familiar but equally brilliant 'Other Side of Life'. Quiet Life' and 'Ghosts' sound immense on this pressing and that's just a couple of the highlights, a very enjoyable and superbly packaged release.

Seven years after the release of Exorcising Ghosts, Japan recorded a new studio album, but under the new moniker Rain Tree Crow. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Luckily, for me, I'm reasonable happy with the 11 tracks here - the listener gets comfortably more than 60 minutes of music and there are a number of classics included such as the marvellous 'Ghosts' - definitely one of the best singles of the 1980s, 'Nightporter' - a beautifully subtle song and surely too brilliant to have been released as a single, the superb 'The Other Side Of Life' as well as the pacey 'Quiet Life' and the classy 'Visions Of China'.