Japan - Exorcising Ghosts: Abbey Road 1/2 Speed Master Vs. British Original First Pressing
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
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"Exorcising Ghosts" (1984) is a 2LP set of 16 tracks compiled and produced in consultation with vocalist David Sylvian, two years after Japan disbanded. This career-spanning "best of" includes three recordings from the band's early career on the Hansa Records label (including 1979's "Quiet Life"), but focuses primarily on material from their two breakthrough studio albums on Virgin Records: "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" (1980) and "Tin Drum" (1981).
HalfSpeed mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, London. The LPs are housed in a gatefold sleeve with printed inner pockets. Includes a new print / Abbey Road Half Speed master certificate and Obi strip (band around the cover
As an aside, I took a slightly different train route home today - and passed through Catford (London), which is where David Sylvian (and his brother, Steve Jansen) and Mick Karn grew up and went to school together. It's a grim, rather charmless place (sorry people of Catford!) and not the environment that you might automatically think would give rise to the imaginative (and cross-cultural) musicianship of these very special guys. But then again, suburban south-east London also gave us Bowie, Siouxsie, Peter Perrett, and so on.
I remember Catford. Isn't there a greyhound track there?
@@vinylrulesok8470 They've all gone now... I think the Wimbledon track was the last to go.
Bruv! I live in Catford! It's an interesting place. Regeneration without gentrification. Well, we are trying
@@krupboom Apologies! - I was trying to get across that sense that SE London seems able to produce avant-garde artists in spite of not benefiting from the bohemian legacy of other areas...
Being cut off from big money hipster culture can be a good environment for creativity.
70s and 80s as well
People only seem to think they were a 80s band
Richard barberi is very important as well and rob Dean continues to make very good solo music
You make this old man with a huge collection of original pressings smile with each of these reviews. A million thanks for solidifying what I already knew, you're doing a great service.
U have the best sounding gems ever, no reissues ( xerox) , no Remix( high EQ) , no remix ( hipster targeted sound)..hope I didn't open a can of worms Rock on Big Craig
aging has it's up side doesn't it?
Don’t waste your money this compilation, get the albums. You need ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ and ‘Tin Drum’. The Abbey Road half-speed pressings of these albums are top notch.
Agreed. The Abbey Road remasters of those two albums are excellent. Then again the originals are pretty good as well. Interestingly the remasters were done at 45rpm which definitely enhances the bottom end.
Yes, I hve original UK pressings and the 45rpm HSMs of GTP and Tin Drum and concur… I’d rate the sound quality of the reissues higher than the first pressings.
Am a huge Japan fan and have several original pressings including an excellent Japanese pressing. I love this album and will probably buy this pressing but only because of the poster and inner sleeves. Japan are my favourite band.. thanks for the review.
Mick Karn could have even been better if he lived longer than he did. 52 is my age and his life was already done. Such a lost. Thank you again for showing some light to these great 80s bands.
A while back bought the Abbey Road versions of Tin Drum and Gentlemen Take Polaroids and I have the original UK releases too from when I bought them in the 80s….one of my all time favourite bands….I recommend Adolescent Sex album from 1977 on the Hansa label I bought on a holiday to London in about 1984
Thanks for your comparison and especially for highlighting such a brilliant and relatively unknown band. Their music deserved so much more success and yes, their songs holds up even 40 years later.
Excited to hear of your enthusiasm for Japan, David Sylvian and Mick Karn, Michael. I’m an absolutely massive Japan fan, although only after their first two glam rock albums. Quiet Life is my favourite album of all time, bar none, and its final track, The Other Side Of Life, is my favourite song on that album. I have original UK pressings of Quiet Life, Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum plus the Abbey Road 1/2 speeds of the latter 2 and the box set of Quiet Life (plus a number of other pressings). I have every 12” single they released and multiple 7” singles. I have every album released on vinyl by Sylvian and Karn (RIP), the Rain Tree Crow album and a number of collaboration albums.
Still to compare my HSM of Exorcising Ghosts with my UK first press so May come back here with my view after I’ve cleaned and played it.
By the way, I’d rate the sound quality of the 45rpm HSMs of GTP and Tin Drum higher than the first pressings. I think the 45rpm is much better for the bass.
Made me smile when you said "damn it" after saying Dave provided such a great copy again - you have certainly found the dealer for your addiction - just can't stop! 🙂
That's useful info/judgement. I slightly prefer Barberei's textures and the timbre of Jansen's drumming but Karn's bass is the heart the band.
I'm so glad I still have my copies of 'Tin Drum' and 'Brillian Trees', both from when they came out, both in perfect condition, both sounding beautiful. I don't know why, but I wasn't aware of this compilation, probably because I was following Sylvian's career by then. I managed to find an OG of 'Down To Earth' recently, again, a stunning sounding album (which of course as both Bill Nelson and Robert Fripp guesting on it).
When Japan broked up, the two brothers and founders, luckily continued on their own. But also collaboration between the two.
Look up, Nine Horses - everything with David Sylvian and Steve Jansen. Just look em' up on Bandcamp.
They are both still going strong and on the producer site of it all, they just improved and improved.
This iconic album i own the original German copy (as i remember)? 2 lazy to get up from my bed site, were i end all my days, with these vd's.
THX again Mikael for your time.
Maybe i should try this issue, to compare 🤗 or not? 😋
At least i wanna hear my original Tomorrow 🤗
✌️❤️🇩🇰
I have the original of that Japan record and the sound is quite excellent.
That's exactly my mind. The early till mid 80's records are so well produced - in most cases.
So glad that I still have a lot of records which I played as a club DJ at that period of time.
And a lot of them were played at Checkers, too. A really great time!
Just digging out my copy I bought back in 84/85 when I was 16/17 :-)
good luck fining it :-)
Your passion for the music, the band and the recording is palpable. Not familiar with their work but I am going to check it out.
I have a U.K. first press in decent but not mint condition so ordered the reissue the day after it was announced. Amazon informed me on the day of release that it my delivery had been cancelled. I was initially annoyed but not too bothered now
:-)
Wow! I love these comparisons Michael. You are blowing the living hell outta of the Myth of these 'supposed' well done Remasters! Good... This is very vital information to know, thank you! So far, I am hearing a lot of negatives about the Abbey Road 1/2 Speed Remasters. The queen albums were awful, and several newer ones have not held up, and I have the new Tommy from them that I have yet to compare to the original which I have (my 1st impression was not that exciting) I wonder what the HELL they are doing over there??? I mean, I've seen interviews with Sean Magee and especially Miles Showell, and they genuinely seem to be conscientious and love what they do. But, they insist on using Hi-Res PCM files. David Robinson, the owner of Positive Feedback and one of the original researchers into DSD technology, but also loves his analog sourced stuff, in a recent review said, 'Those guys at Abbey Road should get off their @sses and get going on this Quad DSD technology' He also said that he and Chad Kassem and another well known luminary in blind listening tests, that *NONE* of them *NOT ONCE* in several listens could tell the difference between the original master tape and the Quad DSD copy 😁 I found that quite an eye-opener in my feelings about Quad DSD and MFSL...
Nice to have an honest review even though the half speed master did not live up to expectation! Folk buying these new pressings really need these type of reviews as in many cases they are expensive and it is very good to have this information that helps make an informed decision. So many times I have bought blind with expectation and been disappointed so I thank you for this type of review. Japan have always been one of my favourite electronic based bands coming from an era when so much great electronic stuff was happening. There are some seminal great like Gentlemen take polaroids and Tin Drum that had a very unique sound and like you say still sound fresh today!
Can I ask what the solo albums were from Mick Karn, what a great bass player, one of the greatest in my book along with Geddy Lee but that is another story and a very different type of music. ;-)
One fantastic LP putting them in my living room ( Either Virgin US or UK ) Like King Crimson RED, band dissolved before finding their albums. Saw David Sylvian with Fripp twice. For that Mick Karn bass, saw him at one of five shows for Polytown (CD only) . Barberi was just here in Chicago with Porcupine Tree. Several recent reissues of including a live radio CD found on Amazon UK.
Fortunately, i purchased a British original of Exorcising Ghosts in Sofia, during traveling in Bulgaria year ago in wonderful condition, i do love the sounding and really happy with it, i love Japan. Karn. Sylvian.
Thanks Michael. Glad you brought up Mick Karn, a genius bass guitarist. Though I don’t have this compilation album, your observation on the sound quality is very similar to mine comparing the UK OGs and the Abbey Road/Half speed of Tin Drum and Gentlemen take Polaroids!
P.S. I hope you have bought David Sylvian’s “Sleepwalkers” & “Manafon” albums, which are recently reissued on vinyl. “Blemish” is coming soon too!
They had that image way before the New Romantic movement.... Their THIRD album Quiet life which was their breakthrough record was released in 1979!!! I have a 1st Japanese pressing of Quiet Life and it's absolutely brilliant
Weren't they New York Dolls fans to begin with? I think that's how David Sylvian got his surname. Bowie and Roxy Music (B. Ferry) were major influences on Japan and New Romantics, so there is a link - Japan were a key formative influence on Duran Duran. I agree that there's something qualitatively different about Japan, and the music has aged incredibly well in my opinion.
Thanks Michael. Bought this on the day of release but have yet to listen to it. I've an original UK pressing of 'Quiet Life' (even though that was on a German label (!) and seems to have been issued in Japan and Canada even before the European release) which sounds fantastic - and is still a very reasonable price on Discogs for a NM-rated copy. Not much love, so I hear, for the recent half-speed (from Alchemy rather than Abbey Road) remaster of 'Quiet Life'. I also have to say, the UK original of David Sylvian's 'Secrets of the Beehive' - which has Sakamoto all over it - is certainly one of the best sounding/mastered LPs in my collection (a DMM cut, I believe). Always good to hear your case-by-case analysis of the Abbey Road Half-Speed remasters, as opposed to adopting an all-or-nothing viewpoint on the half-speed methodology.
There is a video floating about on the youtubes somewhere of Kevin Grey talking about half speed mastering and its limitations on low frequencies…I trust what the man says.
I purchased the OG UK in NM/NM six years ago and really, really love it!
One of my favorite 80’s bands not to mention the plethora of solo and off-shoot projects the band members worked on. Still listen to them today and of course had to buy this half speed master. Also check out Rain Tree Crow and Nine Horses albums. Talking Drum would be the definitive test track for me in doing a comparison
Love the passion!
Thanks for your comparison. I also have an original UK first press of EG and I was on the fence about getting the remaster. I guess your video is the answer... Thanks!
Michael, good info. ☮️
Great Video ! This is a better You Tube Video than wondering if you are going to rip up the paper inner sleeve you get with The Beatles, Sgt Pepper Original UK Pressing ! Liked Japan when they were Rain Tree Crow. Great Video !
I just saw Japan's keyboard player Ricard Barbieri in concert with Porcupine Tree (a fantastic band and a solo artist - Steven Wilson - you should get to know, if you haven't already). I love Japan and David Sylvian, and it's interesting there is such a difference between the two pressings, especially when you consider the source for the original was probably one generation removed from the master, because that's how they would do "greatest hits" albums. I have yet to see an overwhelmingly positive review of any Abbey Road remaster (apart from Tommy) and it is so frustrating to me that EMI remains committed to this half-speed process for so many iconic albums when the results are so mediocre. You can do excellent reissues from digital files (though AAA remains largely preferable), so why this blind adherence to the half-speed process, ruining what could otherwise be wonderful reissues? Very annoying.
Porcupine tree came to me via Japan amazing band
Thanks for the comparison Michael. There is a theme developing with the Abbey Road half speed remasters I have a couple of Abbey Rd HSM Brian Eno Ambient LPs and they sound lifeless. Why do they keep getting it so wrong do you think???
It's funny the level of suspense I feel waiting for your judgement on the quality of the record your discussing! Sorry to hear about this one as I was hoping for a positive review. Big fan of Japan from waaaay back in the day. But thanks for saving me some money my fine German friend!
Thank you for covering this great record. I appreciate you.
Michael - check out Steve Jansen's solo albums. His first album is getting its first release on vinyl. Plus, big David Sylvian announcement later this month. We expect beaucoup vinyl re-releases
Did a little Spittin' da Truth move with your hands at the kickoff of the video. In December or January, it might be interesting to see a year in review video citing the number or percentage of original pressings preferred over remasters and vice versa.
I listened to them in the 80s. They are a great band, great voice and great bass player. One of favourites is not on this compilation and that one is European Son.
Great show 😊👍👏
Another very brave and honest review. This record is still relevant today, so influential for all the introverts. As I recall the mix of Taking Islands In Africa on this is very different to the album version, am I right? Their synth sounds were out of this world, not your typical 80's synth sounds.
It’s a remix by Steve Nye that was one of the b-sides of Visions Of China.
Again very informative thanks! Curious on your take on OMD / TFFears / T Dolby etc pressings. Have to say i'm happy with the OMD-Dazzle Ships half-speed. Great album imo
Hello Michael, thanks once again for your intelligent, honest and competent contribution. I have purchased tons of remixed/remastered reissues, and my opinion is that reissues very rarely are better than original releases.
I have an original -italian- release of "Exorcising Ghosts" and I think that it plays nice, so I won't purchased the recent release.
Some time ago I purchased the whole set of Brian Eno half speed releases, but after having read that they are/should be not that great, I let them sealed. Have you listened to them? I would be pleased to know your opinion.
Thanks!
Luigi (from sunny Italy)
excellent video!
The first time.
New strange and interesting enough.
The original marks a 1A Virgo.
Once again a good example of this.
❤️Michael.
Now all you have to do is kiss the virgin and take your time with her. :-)
This and the live set 'Oil On Canvas' are essential (this from someone who regards most live albums as 'meh' at best). Japan transformed itself dramatically from 'Quiet Life' on, and 'Exorcising Ghosts' is great entry point for what came next for Sylvian: his collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto ('Forbidden Colours') and especially 'Brilliant Trees' - hands down my favourite non-jazz album of 1984. I wasn't intending to go for the re-issue for two reasons: I have a mint Japanese pressing, and the half-speed is too bloody expensive...
'Oil On Canvas' is a lifelong favorite of mine.
I read that there are lots of overdubs on Oil On Canvas, but I agree that it is a good live album.
@@theodd9604 I've read / heard the same and it would not suprise me in the least. That said, the live performance released on video cassette back in the days of yesteryear is uploaded to RUclips for our viewing pleasure.
Michael thanks for another great comparison.I like the way you said you don’t have say why one’s better .It just sounds better it’s that simple.
I got a dressing down by Rachel yesterday for having OG pride & not giving reissues a chance.
The point I’m making originals can be acquired a lot cheaper & guess what for the most part sound better.
Abbey Rd 1/2 are beautifully presented,vinyl is quality & quiet.
For people who have no interest in originals then they are doing an admirable job
Regarding the 1/2 speed records I’m finding the same problem on every release bottom end is cut & smoothed out no instrument separation.
Michael an interesting comparison for you to make would be Ghost in the machine The Police.
Abbey Rd have done a 1/2 speed of it
I’ve just bought a NM original copy vinyl wise I kid you not for £3
Sting’s bass sounds incredible ,what a fantastic original recording.
There’s no way Abbey Rd could get near this.
All I keep saying is & as long as it’s affordable try an VG++ originals .
Totally understand reissues,
Clean vinyl,great jackets no hunting down records.
For me & you we ask why can originals sound so much better.
I mean what are they comparing in Abbey Rd 😂
The Doors discography by Acoustic sounds is best in reissues series regarding rock music.
Michael enjoy the music 🎶🙌
OG...is the word..
I don't typically do not name favorite bands, or songs, but if I had to - it would be Japan. Huge influence on me back in the day and I've followed their body of work for the past four decades. If I may share my typically verbose thoughts:
Regarding the remastering: I don't presently own either copy of "Exorcising Ghosts" on Vinyl, only an OG Compact Disc, but I do have *many* of the others both original and remastered on both mediums. I don't disagree with your assessment based on my experience with those preceding releases. In my opinion it's important to consider some of the remastering that occurs is not driven solely on artistic merit, but for cross platform distribution and meeting the guidelines/expectations for those formats. With that in mind, to my ears I find the remastered albums have a much quieter noise floor than the OGs. Some of the detail is more easily discerned, i.e., you can pick up much more of the modulation on those wonderful Sequential and Oberheim synthesizers sounds, but the trade off is the reduced saturation from the analog source - and we hear it in the reduced 'growl' of the bass. I've played GTP a million times and when I first heard the remastered version it 'felt' like a foreign object to me and I was really put off. Took me some time to arrive at the above, but that's how I hear it. Now that I've tempered my expectations I can relax and enjoy these reissues for what it is. I think they pulled off a better job on the Sylvian solo work than the Japan catalog, but I've not made it through all I've bought! LOL
A quick comment on the reissue of "Quiet Life", the pressing is okay - pretty typical, the remastering is - fine, and the Gatefold sleeve is very nice - but I really want to give credit to the liner notes they included. I felt the writer did a fine job portraying the band as they exist in that moment of time and it helped me reconnect with the recording. I very much enjoyed that experience.
Now let me put on my Stunty Cap and advise of some prerelease news: state51 is releasing the three most 'recent' albums from Steve Jansen on Vinyl in November: "Slope", "Tender Extinction" and "Neither Present Nor Absent". Get 'em while they're hot! And I believe a new Exit North LP is forthcoming in '23. Some label I'm unfamiliar with called Masterworks (a Sony subsidiary? anybody know?) is releasing a compilation of remixes of Ryuichi Sakamoto "A Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto - To the Moon and Back" in November too - with treatments by Sylvian, Cornelius, Alva Noto, Fennez, et al. I've all of these on preorder.
We Want Sounds has reissued about five of the Akiko Yano titles (heavy contributions and production work from YMO and Japan), a few early Sakamoto titles (hope they do "Futurista"), the first Yukihiro Takahashi album and a Logic System album too. Can't recall the label, but some of the early Haruomi Hosono is now reissued - wish there were more cost effective reissues of his '90s recording. Already bought the We Want Sounds releases.
Think it unlikely the Medium releases from JBK will be reissued and I've noticed used prices on the oop titles like 'ISM' are increasing - need to move on that sooner than later I think, procrastinated long enough. The digital copy of "Playing In a Room with People" contains a video of the live performance and it' very good. Would like to see their work on Venture reissued, but again feel it unlikely.
Lastly, Stunty highlighted an record from Interior reissued on WRWTFWWT and I would recommend it if you're into any of the above - had a promotional copy on cassette back when ... already bought the reissue, but it's not a rare or hard to find album if you're curious.
Thanks for letting me take advantage of your patience with these lengthy comments Michael 45.
I give you 10 out of 10 for your Abbey Road persistence 😅
Pah :-)
Are you going to review Blemish and Manafon reissues too, please?
i can o that Dom
@@Michael45RPM Thank you. Keep up the good work ✌
Amazing band, too bad Duran Duran was more famous for essentially stealing their identity, but I digress. I have the original CD release of Oil On Canvas, and I always thought it was just a muddy terrible recording. Recently I found a mint Japanese pressing for $15.00 US and wow! like someone pulled a blanket off the speakers. It was much less compressed and wide open with great soundstage.
I have a lovely early/first pressing of this album (1U, 2U, 1U, 1U matrix), and of course, it sounds fabulous! That was Japan though; beautifully engineered to sound amazing on the turntable! Even the (early) CD releases sound immaculate....
It's tough Michael; it almost seems fruitless, pointless, to keep chasing that perfect pressing with these new 'remasters', and just keep trying to find original pressings of the records you want..... so many of these new releases just don't please you in the way that the originals do! ;-). I know a few modern companies put out the real good ones, but so many seem pointless.... stick with the Analogue productions, and Tone Poets for Jazz.... too many of the others though are just re-release expensive cash-grabs.... 😞
If i would not have the Channel i would exactly do this
Mick Karn & Peter Murphy did a project together called Dali’s Car. Interesting couple of albums.
Very interesting. The 80s was a period of diversity. Your summary of the bands is spot on. Good for you telling your opinion. Half speed mastering does appear to be a gimmick. Lack of bass is a frequent observation. Chapeau Michael.
Who knows though, I find lack of bass ALOT in the 80s and I listen mostly though digital sources. Just my 2 cents
so far in your reviews, have any abbey road reissues actually beat the 1st pressings?? thanks for your reviews
No so far it has not
@@Michael45RPM it's a shame, you have to buy them and waste your money when you can be buying more deserving pressings
Oh dear, I have this half speed pressing on order.
Hi once again Michael,
I listened to this while I was driving and I wanted to respond but got busy with work. Your review of this album was a huge disappointment, not the review but the album. I do have the original UK release and it's awesome. But when these remasters come out of bands you really like it gets really exciting because you think wow, I'm going to be able to hear something new, something different, a fresh new take on some great music but then comes the let down. A 7 isnt bad but is it worth spending the $$ on? This one makes me think twice. Great review as always. 👍👍👍
You need to do a Q +A with Miles. He is on Twitter and generally very contactable. You have a platform to maybe ask why these reissues aren’t up to standard?
he probably will love those questions :-)
@@Michael45RPM I get what you are saying…but there is diplomacy and room for open debate rather than just get him on to criticise directly and I think you could do a great job as you have the tact 😉. Btw, he has also done some great stuff…the latest Avalon for example and I have the Inxs Kick he did which I think is great. I think also the 45rpm Japan reissues would be a lot closer to originals as they sounded good. But it would be good to get his take on why a lot generally don’t hit the mark..not just by him but by the industry as a whole. Is it the transfers provided by record companies perhaps? If you provide him with a poor source, there is only so much he could do? I think also guys like Miles work generally with digital files only. Is it the mastering chain…who knows?
@@Michael45RPM You could definitely ask why Abbey Road didn't check the half-speed pressings of The Beatles 'White Album' which are all pressed very noiceably off-centre (and warped).:I contacted Abbey Road about it but they didn't seem to care! :0(
Great review 👍
Another viewer mentioned their great cover version of "European Son". It's on Assemblage which is a compilation album, released in September 1981 by Hansa Records. It's actually also got another Velvet Underground cover -> "All Tomorrow's Parties"!
You can pick this up really cheap, if you are interested.
European Son isn’t a cover version of the Velvet Underground song.
@@SonicChronicler yup you are right! Just checked the back of my copy 👍
I find myself disagreeing with this review quite a bit. It’s a great, honest review, and everyone has their own ear. But this master is absolutely pristine with barely any surface noise. I hear nuance and separation between distinct sounds much better than before. I agree that the bass isn’t as “punchy” but it’s still very present and beautiful; I wouldn’t even say that it’s low in the mix really.
For the record, the playback speed is 33 RPM for this half speed master and not 45 RPM like the other Japan HSM they’ve done; no idea why.
Love over gold rsd is the same, no comparison, vocals are way way back?
yup, there seems to be a trend going on when the reissues are not AAA, and that is we need to be seeking OG pressings instead of dumping 30 bucks for crappy pressings, thanks for review
Great work here.
I LOVE Japan.
I don’t know why they keep doing these remasters, if it’s not broken while trying to fix it.
Availability. Easier to buy a new reissue than to track down a 40 - 50 year old record in good condition for a reasonable price
@@davidbarnes3232
Hello David,
bitter truth.
Unfortunately.
❤️Heike
Michael,
With all your music when do you find time to eat/work/sleep?? I "do" enjoy your videos very much.
Mr. Pete---------->
aging hippie
An asceteic finds happiness in renunciation.
Vinyl is his only pleasure. :-)
❤️Heike
Do you think they don’t even listen to the og pressing when doing a new pressing. Why don’t they just try and get as close to the original as possible
if they do, what i hope, the should be ashamed
I agree. The original pressing is way better. I suspect Miles Showell did the half speed version and Abbey Road half speed masters are hit and miss. Miles is no Kevin Gray or Bernie Grundmann. A million miles away from their genius.
Sír! Are you an audiophile or a collector?
both?
I've never owned the original as at the time it was purely a cash grab ...no need to own it ..Japan sound good today because they created music that is art ...Great review as usual the orig beats it hands down ..even the jacket difference is worrying ..why they bothered with this album I've no idea ...would be nice to hear opinions on tin drum ..im not convinced my orig or 99 repress will be beaten .
I have the reissues of Gentlemen Take Polaroids and Tin Drum. The band is very interesting but the sound of the pressings is ok. Not what I would consider audiophile…
Spotify...gets things messed up. Lol.
Curation is spot on.
Far be it for me to judge peoples taste in music but so few bands really ever reach the status of "iconic". I don't know if your realize how often you bestow this honor Michael.
There are many genres and they are have some “iconic” artists within that context. Japan certainly qualifies.
@@vsander09 I understand this completely, however it does not negate my point that he uses the term far too freely.