Multiplies [Original recording remastered] [Import]

1. Jingle Y M O

2. Nice Age

3. Snakeman Show

4. Tighten Up

5. Snakeman Show

6. Citizens Of Science

7. Snakeman Show

8. Multiples

9. Snakeman Show

10. The End Of Asia

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
2003 remastered reissue of the Japanese progressive rock act's 1980 album. 12 tracks. Epic.

Tracks:

Jingle Y M O
Nice Age
Snakeman Show
Tighten Up
Snakeman Show
Citizens Of Science
Snakeman Show
Multiples
Snakeman Show
The End Of Asia

Album Description

2003 remastered reissue of the Japanese progressive rock act's 1980 album. 12 tracks. Epic.

Customer Reviews:

Two solid tracks. The rest..........2005-08-11

"Xoo Multiplies" is, at best, a filler release, a way to buy time and push product into the marketplace. What else can you call a mini-album with only two "real" songs, intermittent comedy skits, and a centerpiece that consists of a endless, we-get-the-joke-already remake of the Drells' "Tighten Up?"

First, the good. "Nice Age" is a phenomenal tune, sort of like a proto-"Ballet" from BGM. It's an 80s pop song, but it's a really good 80s pop song. I really like Takahashi's voice. It has an interesting, slightly "slithery" quality to it, and I think he makes great use of it here. "Citizens of Science" is almost as good.

Oh, but its introduction is talked over. Because, you know, the album is half. Freakin'. Comedy skits. In Japanese. Now, the skits are by a group called "Snakeman Show" who show all signs of being very interesting and probably slightly out of the mainstream. Wonderful for them. They're mostly in Japanese, so I can't vouch as to their content. I should point out that the first two are in English, and are mildly amusing, although the language used in the second one becomes...well, pretty course (references are made to...uh, alleged Asian issues of endowment). Problematically, the skits run over into the songs. Thus, we get a hissed "CITIZENS...OF SCIENCE" introducing that track.

Oh, and "Tighten Up." It's a joke. Yes, it's catchy. Yes, it's well played. But there's also absolutely nothing to it, and the "funny" track announcer is problematic in mixed company. The band were probably attempting to be subversive with regard to the American vision of the Japanese, but still..."WE DON'T SIGHT SEE, WE DANCE! YOU UNDERSTAND! WE ARE THE NUMBAH ONE DANCE BAND IN TOKYO SING-SONG!" Oh, please, Japanese gentlemen, just stand up already...YMO miming this on "Soul Train" (a clip readily available on the internet) is one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.

Verdict: Two songs are good. The rest of this probably isn't worth "full-album" sort of money. Find it used. Note also that there is an American version of the album that functions as an edited combination of this and "Solid State Survivor," but I'm unsure of its availability on CD.

Old & intresting.......2004-05-21

This one is showcase of the diversity of japanese music.
Popular music, this band has been seen as an milestone for electricmusic.
Good humor is allso a way 2 descripe this album.

Average customer rating:

Two good songs. The rest...
A Bit Sketchy
A trippy Japanese synth-pop band that has become our favorit

Xoo Multiplies
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Restless Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Dance Pop | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003BJH
Release Date: 1993-07-01

Tracks:

Jingle Y.M.O.
Nice Age
Snakeman Show
Tighten up (Japanese Gentleman Stand Up Please)
Snakeman Show
Here We Go Again-Tighten Up
Snakeman Show
Citizens Of Science
Snakeman Show
Multiplies
Snakeman Show (The Magnificent Seven)
The End Of Asia
Kageki Na Shukujo
Chaos Panic (Instrumental)
Lotus Love (Instrumental)
Kai-Koh (Instrumental)

Customer Reviews:

Two good songs. The rest..........2005-08-11

A Bit Sketchy.......1999-03-29

The American vinyl version of this album is a rather good collection of YMO tracks. This CD is the original Japanese album, and is rather short on ideas. "Nice Age" is perhaps the most commercial pop/rock song the band did, and it's very good. The (never-ending) version of "Tighten Up" is cute, "Multiplies" is goofy fun (trivia note - impress your friends by pointing out the quoting of "Sweet Soul Music" and "I Second That Emotion" at the start of the track), and "Citizens of Science" is decent pop. There. That's all the songs on the album ("End of Asia" is a quick remake of a song on Sakamoto's "1000 Knives" LP).

A trippy Japanese synth-pop band that has become our favorit.......1999-03-14

We first found this album on LP at a used record store. Going by nothing other than the interesting cover art and a few seconds of listening at the store we decided to buy it. This gamble turned out to be the best purchase in several months and one of the greatest records of our collection. It blends a 1980's synth style with robotic voices and a slow beat. The end product provides for good party music that ranges from a Japanese "Running Man" show to futuristic space music. After many listenings we wondered whether or not there was more music of this genre out there. The search continues. Antonio comments: I agree with all of the above. This is definitely the star of our extensive album collection. It's somewhat remniscent of early Devo with primitive synthesizers but more mellow and poppy. Definitely worth checking out.