If You Have Ghost

Last updated

If You Have Ghost
Ghost - If You Have Ghost.jpg
EP by
Released20 November 2013
Recorded2012–2013
StudioStudio 606 (Northridge)
Genre
Length24:41
Label
Producer Dave Grohl
Ghost chronology
Infestissumam
(2013)
If You Have Ghost
(2013)
Meliora
(2015)

If You Have Ghost is the first EP by Swedish rock band Ghost. It was produced by Dave Grohl and released on 20 November 2013 by Republic Records. Four of the five tracks are covers of other acts; "I'm a Marionette" and "Waiting for the Night" were originally released on various editions of Ghost's second album, Infestissumam , while the two others were newly recorded. The fifth is a live recording of Ghost's own "Secular Haze" from the band's performance of 28 July 2013 at Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York City.

Contents

Background

Ghost's collaboration with Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters happened when, before going to Nashville to record Infestissumam , the band had a bunch of covers demoed and were discussing if they should squeeze them onto the album. [1] [2] " ... we were at a festival in Europe and Foo Fighters was playing, and we knew that Dave was a fan, and [when we talked to him] after a few handshakes and a few laughs, we were like 'Okay, so you liked the band? So do you want to do something?' And he said yeah, and one month later we were in [his studio in] L.A. doing that". [1] [2]

The cover of "I'm a Marionette" was first released in late 2012 as the B-side to Ghost's "Secular Haze" single. [3] In late 2013, all of the tracks from If You Have Ghost were included in a special edition of Infestissumam, called Infestissumam Redux.

The EP's cover art references a shot from the 1922 German Expressionist horror film Nosferatu . [4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 57/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Consequence of Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Iowa State Daily (4/5) [9]
Loudwire Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Now 2/4 [11]
Rock Sound (4/10) [12]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the EP received an average score of 57, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on seven reviews. [5] A member of Ghost revealed that Benny Andersson and/or Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA have heard their cover of "I'm a Marionette" and "loved it!" [14]

If You Have Ghost sold roughly 5,000 copies in the United States in its first week and reached No. 87 on the Billboard 200. [15]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If You Have Ghosts" (Roky Erickson cover) Roky Erickson 3:32
2."I'm a Marionette" (ABBA cover) Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus 4:50
3."Crucified" (Army of Lovers cover) Alexander Bard, Anders Wollbeck, Jean-Pierre Barda 5:13
4."Waiting for the Night" (Depeche Mode cover) Martin Gore 5:38
5."Secular Haze" (Recorded live at Music Hall of Williamsburg)A Ghoul Writer5:28
Total length:24:41

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2013)Peak
position
UK Albums Chart (OCC) [16] 172
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [17] 11
US Billboard 200 [18] 87
US Top Hard Rock Albums ( Billboard ) [18] 7
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [18] 24

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