Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids

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Genre:	Pop
Style:	Synth-pop
Year:	1980

Tracklist

		Gentlemen Take Polaroids	7:06
		Swing	6:25
		Burning Bridges	5:20
		My New Career	3:54
		Methods Of Dance	6:53
		Ain't That Peculiar	4:40
		Nightporter	6:57
		Taking Islands In Africa	5:15

Credits (15)

D. Sylvian*
Composed By
Stuart McLeod (2)
Design Concept [Cover Concept]
Renate*
Engineer [Assistant Engineer]
Colin Fairley
Engineer [Engineered By]
John Punter
Engineer [Engineered By]
Nigel Walker
Engineer [Engineered By]

Notes

Japan's fourth album, released in 1980 on Virgin Records.
Note: First edition vinyl pressings of the UK issue had track A3 printed as 'Some Kind Of Fool' on the back of the sleeve. An erratum sticker was fixed to the sleeve identifying the correct track as 'Burning Bridges'.
You can review the first edition: Gentlemen Take Polaroids.

Photograph on back side of sleeve was shot on the rooftop of Air Studios, London.

Versions

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123 versions

Image	,	–			In Your Collection, Wantlist, or Inventory	Version Details	Data Quality
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo, Strawberry Lacquer Cut	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlement Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Stereo, Dolby	Virgin – D 402968	Spain	1980	Spain — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Durations, Black Text, Grey Cassette, Textured Border	Virgin – TCV 2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album	Virgin – 202968		1980	— 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	New Zealand	1980	New Zealand — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – VIL 12180	Italy	1980	Italy — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – VL 2208	Canada	1980	Canada — 1980
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968	Benelux	1980	Benelux — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	Australia	1980	Australia — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Dolby	Virgin – TCV 2180	New Zealand	1980	New Zealand — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo, CBS Pressing	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo, Strawberry	Virgin – V2180	Hong Kong	1980	Hong Kong — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids = 孤独な影 LP, Album, Limited Edition, Promo, Stereo	Virgin – VIRG-6969	Japan	1980	Japan — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Red Text, Grey Cassette, Plastic Screws, Textured Border	Virgin – TCV 2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	Greece	1980	Greece — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – I-202968	Spain	1980	Spain — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids = 孤独な影 LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo	Virgin – VIRG-6969	Japan	1980	Japan — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968-320		1980	— 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – VV-33.067 Y	Portugal	1980	Portugal — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album	Virgin – V2180	New Zealand	1980	New Zealand — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968	Benelux	1980	Benelux — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968-320	Netherlands	1980	Netherlands — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Promo, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	Australia	1980	Australia — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Stereo, Dolby	Virgin – VC 2180	Australia	1980	Australia — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo, Town House Cut, EMI Pressing	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Black Text, Grey Cassette, Plastic Screws, Textured Border	Virgin – TCV 2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Stereo, Strawberry Cut, CBS Pressing	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	Australia	1980	Australia — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Test Pressing, White Label	Virgin – 202968		1980	— 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids = 孤独な影 Cassette, Album, Stereo	Virgin – VIRG-C1702	Japan	1980	Japan — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – V2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Stereo, Grey Cassette, Black Text	Virgin – OVEDK 7138	Italy	1980	Italy — 1980	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids Cassette, Album, Red Text, Grey Cassette, Textured Border	Virgin – TCV 2180	UK	1980	UK — 1980	New Submission
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Reissue	Virgin – V2180	Australia	1981	Australia — 1981	New Submission
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Stereo	Virgin – DVPC-002	South Korea	1982	South Korea — 1982	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo, Bass Clef	Virgin – 202 968-610	Europe	1983	Europe — 1983	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968-320	Europe	1983	Europe — 1983	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids = 孤独な影 Cassette, Album, Reissue, Stereo	Virgin – VCW-613	Japan	1983	Japan — 1983	Recently Edited
	Gentlemen Take Polaroids LP, Album, Misprint, Repress, Stereo	Virgin – 202 968-320	Netherlands	1983	Netherlands — 1983	Recently Edited

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Reviews

tank0725 May 13, 2025
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (LP, Album, Stereo) V 2180

Very much avantgarde and this album contains some of my favourite Japan tracks, If I could score it a 10 I would.
frankyrhondda Feb 24, 2024
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (CD, Album, Misprint, Reissue, Stereo, DADC Austria) CDV2180

Bought this and on playing it thought it was a bootleg the amount of background or should I say foreground hiss on it. Reminded me of the homemade CD's with a printed picture stuck on the disc. Got hold of a UK version of the CD and it is super quiet in comparison.
memorymoog Nov 30, 2023
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (2×12", 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) 671 041-2

Miles screwed up on the L/R balance but apart from that and the slightly soft overall sonics compared to my original UK Strawberry it's way more dynamic and sounds more involving because of this.
Shame about those levels Miles!
sheriffbrackett Jun 1, 2023
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (2×12", 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) 671 041-2

How does this pressing compare to this original Japanese pressing?
https://discogs.cinepelis.org/release/12358294-Gentlemen-Take-Polaroids/reviews
rebopmusic Mar 18, 2023
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (2×12", 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) 671 041-2

Perfectly stunning. Japan sounds great at 45 RPM! No complaints.
rleatherwood Mar 1, 2023
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (2×12", 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) 671 041-2

I’m grateful to report that my copy sounds amazing. I don’t have the repetitive click reported by others at the beginning of Burning Bridges. My copy sounds clear and dynamic throughout.
spiderfriend Nov 9, 2022
Edited 8 months ago

referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (CD, Album, Misprint, Stereo, MPO) CDV2180

In reference to variant 4. This edition has served me quite well for decades, and still does.
spiderfriend Nov 9, 2022
Edited 8 months ago

referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (SACD, Hybrid, Stereo, Album, Limited Edition, Numbered, Reissue, Remastered) 5373701

It seems unlikely that this is going to sound better. Both layers are excellent and different, although the PCM layer tends to sound more open. The additional tracks make this easy
clarinete13 Jul 17, 2022
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (2×12", 45 RPM, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) 671 041-2

Sound wise my copy was hard to judge as both lp’s were badly warped, I ordered it again and had the same issue. I am going to try for a single disc version instead.
WilJ1966 Jul 3, 2022
referencing Gentlemen Take Polaroids (LP, Album, Misprint, Repress, Stereo) 202 968

Nightporter should be on anyones list, a waltz with the amazing singing of David Sylvian