X Multiplies

Yellow Magic Orchestra | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Restless Records
• ASIN: B000003BJH
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #608,148 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Nice Age

2. Behind the Mask

3. Rydeen

4. Day Tripper

5. Technopolis

6. Multiplies

7. Citizens of Science

8. Solid State Survivor

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A trippy Japanese synth-pop band that has become our favorit, March 14, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Omaha, Nebraska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: X Multiplies (Audio CD)

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.

4.0 out of 5 stars Dave's not here, man!, October 26, 2007

By 

Patrick Carroll "Winebibber. Java/JEE Develo... (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: X Multiplies (Audio CD)

I like this album. It's not terribly deep, or anything, just a bunch of Japanese guys horsing around with synthesizers, and occasionally poking fun at Japanese culture. Track #7, where the Cheech character and the Police Officer are going back and forth is *hysterical*. OK, if you speak Japanese.

I always enjoy this album. I think anyone could enjoy it, and get even more if they speak a little Japanese.

2.0 out of 5 stars Two good songs. The rest..., August 11, 2005

By 

David Goodwin (Westchester, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: X Multiplies (Audio CD)

"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.