Oil on Canvas


Oil on Canvas is a live album by the English band Japan, released in June 1983 by Virgin Records. It was released six months after the band had broken up, and became their highest charting album in the UK, peaking at number 5. It has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 100,000 copies.

Content

The live tracks on the double-album were taken from the band's performances at the Hammersmith Odeon in November 1982, during their final live concert tour. With guitarist Rob Dean having left the band in early 1981, Japanese musician Masami Tsuchiya was added to the touring line-up on guitar and additional keyboards. The band also used backing tracks to supply additional instrumental parts
Billed as a live recording, Jansen later admitted that only the drums were actually recorded live, the rest being recorded in a studio. The album also contained three new instrumental studio tracks, recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively.

Release and aftermath

Although the album was released some months following the band's much publicised split in late 1982, it was Japan's highest charting album in the UK. The album was certified "Gold" by the BPI in 1988 for 100,000 copies sold.
A single, "Canton", was released, with the B-side "Visions of China". It reached No. 42 in the UK Singles Chart.
A video version of Oil on Canvas was also released by Virgin Records. This was re-released on DVD in 2006 as "The Very Best of Japan", which also features many of the band's promotional videos.
Seven years after the release of Oil on Canvas the four members of Japan, David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Mick Karn and Richard Barbieri, reunited for another studio album, under the group moniker Rain Tree Crow.
A remastered CD reissue came out in 2003 with the cover art changed to only showing the slightly cropped and less colourful Auerbach painting.

Track listing

All tracks written by David Sylvian unless otherwise noted
Side A:
  1. "Oil on Canvas" – 1:25
  2. "Sons of Pioneers" – 4:59
  3. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" – 6:41
  4. "Swing" – 5:36
Side B:
  1. "Cantonese Boy" – 3:45
  2. "Visions of China" – 3:34
  3. "Ghosts" – 6:23
  4. "Voices Raised in Welcome, Hands Held in Prayer" – 3:30
Side C:
  1. "Nightporter" – 6:47
  2. "Still Life in Mobile Homes" – 5:37
  3. "Methods of Dance" – 6:07
Side D:
  1. "Quiet Life" – 4:34
  2. "The Art of Parties" – 5:28
  3. "Canton" – 5:43
  4. "Temple of Dawn" – 1:45
Note: some early CD pressings of the Oil on Canvas album omit the tracks "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" and "Swing".

Personnel

;Japan
;Additional personnel