Rocktrospectiva: The Sonically And Unified "Ghost In The Machine" Turns 45

 

Released on 2 October 1981 "Ghost In The Machine" was the 4th., studio album by the English rock band the Police. The songs were recorded between January and September 1981 during sessions that took place at AIR Studios in Montserrat and Le Studio in Quebec, assisted by record producer Hugh Padgham.

 

Ghost in the Machine topped the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200. The album produced the highly successful singles "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic", "Invisible Sun", and "Spirits in the Material World", with a fourth single, "Secret Journey." The album was reissued in 1983 on CD.

 

Recorded under much more relaxed circumstances than their previous albums, the band spent about six weeks working on the record in Montserrat in a calmer atmosphere. They switched producers to Hugh Padgham, who introduced a new recording method involving separate rooms; this approach worked very well and was used again for the subsequent album. 

 

The record also featured a heavy emphasis on keyboards and horns—a shift that did not please guitarist Andy Summers. He commented that he disliked the direction the group was taking, feeling that synthesizers and horns were ruining the band's raw style and making it seem as though they were merely backing the lead singer in performing his pop songs.  

 

The set opened with the great "Spirits in the Material World," featuring Summers' keyboards—which employed a reggae-like vibe that defined the track—followed by the cheerful, Caribbean-flavored "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," which captured the same upbeat spirit seen in its music video. In contrast, the slower, guitar-solo-heavy "Invisible Sun" had a darker tone. 

 

"Hungry for You (J'aurais Toujours Faim de Toi)" was sung in French, driven by a solid rhythm section of bass, horns, and guitars, before transitioning into the set's longest track, "Demolition Man"—a song Sting had composed at Peter O'Toole's mansion. Next came a series of horn-heavy tracks—specifically "Too Much Information," "Rehumanize Yourself," and "One World (Not Three)," alongside Copeland's "Landlord" and "Dead End Job." Regarding "Rehumanize Yourself," Sting disliked the original lyrics, so they were rewritten. 

 

The album concluded with three darker-sounding tracks—reflecting the mood of the record's opening—namely "Omegaman," "Darkness," and the single "Secret Journey." As for the album's themes, many of the lyrics were inspired by Arthur Koestler's book "The Ghost in the Machine", which also provided the album's title; interestingly, this was the band's first album to use an English title. The cover art, designed by Mick Haggerty, features sixteen segments depicting the band members' hairstyles—Summers, Sting, and Copeland, in that order.  

 

Critical reception was positive, highlighting the band's dedication and commitment more than ever before; it was hailed as their best release to date, marking a step forward as the band focused on a pop sound while setting aside their reggae-rock style. The music videos received heavy rotation on MTV, and locally, songs like "Every Little Thing She Do Is Magic" and "Spirits In The Material World" got plenty of airplay and certain tracks still remain key classics in the group's career. 

 

The Ghost In The Machine Track List:  

 

1. Spirits In The Material World

2. Every Little Thing She Do Is Magic

3. Invisible Sun

4. Hungry For You (J'aurais Toujours Faim De Toi)

5. Demolition Man

6. Too Much Information

7. Rehumanize Yourself

8. One World (Not There)

9. Omegaman

10. Secret Journey

11. Darkness