Gentlemen Take Polaroids
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| Gentlement Take Polaroids | ||
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| Studio album by Japan | ||
| Released | November 15, 1980 | |
| Recorded | 1980 | |
| Genre | Post-Punk, New Wave | |
| Length | 46:26 | |
| Label | Virgin Records | |
| Producer(s) | John Punter | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Japan chronology | ||
| Quiet Life (1979) |
Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) |
Tin Drum (1981) |
Released by Japan in 1980, Gentlemen Take Polaroids continued in the vein of their previous album, Quiet Life. It was constructed around a concept of a man driving along a road at night.
Interestingly enough, the band Duran Duran were at AIR Studios at the same time recording demos.
This was the last album to feature guitarist Rob Dean.
[edit] Track listing
- "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" – 7:08
- "Swing" – 6:23
- "Burning Bridges" – 5:23
- "My New Career" – 3:52
- "Methods of Dance" – 6:53
- "Ain't That Peculiar" – 4:40
- "Nightporter" – 6:57
- "Taking Islands in Africa" – 5:12
- All songs written by David Sylvian except for "Ain't That Peculiar" written by Smokey Robinson/Warren "Pete" Moore/Marvin Tarplin/Robert Rogers and "Taking Islands in Africa" written by Ryuichi Sakamoto/David Sylvian
- The 2003 remastered edition adds "The Experience of Swimming" as well as "The Width of a Room", both of which were included on the Gentlemen Take Polaroids single, as well as Steve Nye's alternate mix of "Taking Islands in Africa".
- "Methods of Dance" was also used as the title for two Virgin compilation LPs of new talent released shortly after this album.
[edit] Singles
- "Gentlemen Take Polaroids"
- "Nightporter"
[edit] Line Up
- David Sylvian: vocals, synthesizers (ARP Omni, Oberheim OBX, minimoog, Roland System 700), piano, electric guitar
- Mick Karn: fretless bass guitar, oboe, saxophone, recorder
- Steve Jansen: drums, synthesizer (Roland System 700, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5), percussion
- Richard Barbieri: synthesizers (Roland System 700, micromoog, polymoog, Prophet 5,Oberheim OBX, Roland Jupiter 4), sequencer, piano
- Rob Dean: guitar, ebow
Guest musicians:
- Ryuichi Sakamoto: synthesizers
- Barry Guy: double bass
- Andrew Cauthery: oboe
