If You Have Ghost

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If You Have Ghost
EP by
Released20 November 2013
Recorded2012–2013
StudioStudio 606 (Northridge)
Genre
Length24:41
Label
ProducerDave 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.

Background[edit]

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[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic57/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[6]
AllMusic[7]
Consequence of Sound[8]
Iowa State Daily(4/5)[9]
Loudwire[10]
Now2/4[11]
Rock Sound(4/10)[12]
Rolling Stone[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[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If You Have Ghosts" (Roky Erickson cover)Roky Erickson3:32
2."I'm a Marionette" (ABBA cover)Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus4:50
3."Crucified" (Army of Lovers cover)Alexander Bard, Anders Wollbeck, Jean-Pierre Barda5:13
4."Waiting for the Night" (Depeche Mode cover)Martin Gore5:38
5."Secular Haze" (Recorded live at Music Hall of Williamsburg)A Ghoul Writer5:28
Total length:24:41

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

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

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Show No Mercy: Ghost B.C." Pitchfork Media. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b "A Nameless Ghoul from Ghost B.C. on Papa Emeritus II being too evil for the Vatican". westword.com. 17 April 2013. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  3. ^ "GHOST: Studio Version Of 'I'm A Marionette' Available On SPOTIFY". Blabbermouth.net. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  4. ^ Rob Galluzzo (16 November 2016). "The Band GHOST's Many Horror Homages". Blumhouse. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Metacritic - Ghost B.C.: If You Have Ghost". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  6. ^ Tyons, Lodd. "Ghost B.C. - If You Have Ghost Review". About.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  7. ^ Monger, James. "If You Have Ghost - Ghost B.C." AllMusic. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  8. ^ Kivel, Adam (25 November 2013). "Album Review: Ghost B.C. – If You Have Ghost EP". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  9. ^ Welshhons, Celeste (2 December 2013). "Album Review: Ghost B.C.'s 'If You Have Ghost'". Iowa State Daily. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  10. ^ DiVita, Joe (19 November 2013). "Ghost B.C., 'If You Have Ghost' EP – Review". Loudwire. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  11. ^ Gillis, Carla. "Ghost B.C. If You Have Ghost". Now. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  12. ^ Rogers, Jack (9 December 2013). "Ghost B.C. - If You Have Ghost". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  13. ^ Fricke, David (18 November 2013). "Ghost B.C.: 'If You Have Ghost' Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Getting to know Ghost: The Swedish ghouls answer your questions". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  15. ^ "GHOST's 'If You Have Ghost' EP Cracks U.S. Top 100". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  16. ^ CHART: CLUK Update 30.11.2013 (wk47) (in German). zobbel.de. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  17. ^ 2013 Top 40 Rock & Metal Albums Archive: 30th November 2013. officialcharts.com. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  18. ^ a b c "If You Have Ghost - Ghost B.C. Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 January 2014.