X∞Multiplies

×∞Multiplies
EP by Yellow Magic Orchestra
Released 5 June 1980 (10", Japan)
Recorded 1980
Studio Alfa Studio “A”, The Studio Doo Wap
Genre Electronic, dance, electro-funk, experimental, art rock, new wave, synthpop, world, ska
Length 30:16
Label Alfa Records
Producer
Yellow Magic Orchestra chronology
Public Pressure
(1980)		 ×∞Multiplies
(1980)		 BGM
(1981)
Singles from ×∞Multiplies
  1. "Nice Age"
    Released: 1980
  2. "Tighten Up"
    Released: 1980

×∞Multiplies (増殖 Zōshoku, lit. "multiplication") was a mini-album by Yellow Magic Orchestra released in 1980. It contains a mixture of songs and instrumentals by YMO (including a humorous reworking of Archie Bell & the Drells' "Tighten Up"), interspersed with comedy sketches. These sketches are performed by Snakeman Show in both Japanese and English, with YMO participating in some of them.

Release history

×∞Multiplies was released in several formats worldwide. The original Japanese pressing came on 10" vinyl. The United States pressing compiled tracks from both this record and from Solid State Survivor, which had not been released there, while dropping the comedy sketches. The United Kingdom released ×∞Multiplies with additional tracks culled from Yellow Magic Orchestra. All re-issues from 2003 onward reverted to the original Japanese tracklist (the version with the American tracklist had been re-issued various times over the years until 1999, when both Japanese and American issues were remastered under Haruomi Hosono's supervision and each received a new set of liner notes--the Japanese by Fantastic Plastic Machine and the American by Derrick May).

The tracks differ slightly between the Japanese and US versions: In the original release Nice Age has an abrupt ending and other tracks crossfade between the Snakeman Show sketches; in the US version these have clean intros and endings and Jingle 'YMO' is listed as part of the Nice Age track.

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Japan 5 June 1980 Alfa Records 10" LP YMO-1
United States 29 July 1980 A&M Records LP SP4813
Japan 5 September 1980 Alfa LP (as above US version, with obi) ALR-28004

Track listing

Japanese version

Side one
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Jingle “Y.M.O.”"   Yellow Magic Orchestra 0:21
2. "Nice Age"  Chris MosdellYukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto 3:46
3. "Snakeman Show: KDD"     1:56
4. "Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!)"  Billy ButlerArchie Bell 3:41
5. "Snakeman Show: Mister Ōhira"     2:05
6. "Here We Go Again ~ Tighten Up"  ButlerBell 1:07
Side two
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Snakeman Show: Koko wa Keisatsu Janai yo (ここは警察じゃないよ)"     1:26
2. "Citizens of Science"  MosdellSakamoto 4:29
3. "Snakeman Show: Manpei Hayashiya (林家万平)"     2:08
4. "Multiplies"   Elmer Bernstein, YMO 2:58
5. "Snakeman Show: Wakai Yamabiko (若い山彦)"     3:44
6. "The End of Asia"   Sakamoto 1:32

American version

Some pressings included "Tighten Up" as the opening track for Side A.

Side one
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Nice Age"  MosdellTakahashi, Sakamoto 3:55
2. "Behind the Mask"  MosdellSakamoto[1] 3:36
3. "Rydeen"   Takahashi 4:26
4. "Day Tripper"  Lennon–McCartneyLennon–McCartney 2:40
Side two
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Technopolis"   Sakamoto 4:14
2. "Multiplies"   Elmer Bernstein 2:58
3. "Citizens of Science"  MosdellSakamoto 4:29
4. "Solid State Survivor"  MosdellTakahashi 3:58

European version

On this pressing, the first "Snakeman Show" is actually "Jingle “Y.M.O.”", while the second "Snakeman Show" is the "Mister Ōhira" skit from the Japanese pressing.

Side one
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Technopolis"   Sakamoto 4:14
2. "Absolute Ego Dance"   Haruomi Hosono 4:37
3. "Behind the Mask"  MosdellSakamoto[1] 3:36
4. "Computer Game 'Theme from The Circus'"   YMO 1:48
5. "Firecracker"   Martin Denny 4:50
6. "Computer Game 'Theme from The Invader'"   YMO 0:43
Side two
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Snakeman Show"     0:21
2. "Nice Age"  MosdellTakahashi, Sakamoto 3:46
3. "Multiplies"   Bernstein, YMO 2:58
4. "Snakeman Show"     2:05
5. "Citizens of Science"  MosdellSakamoto 4:29
6. "Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!)"  ButlerBell 3:06

Personnel

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Arrangements, Electronics, Directors, Mixing engineers
Snakeman Show - Counterparts
Guest musicians
Staff
US/Europe versions alternative staff

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Smash Hits5/10[3]
Stereo Review"Terrific"[4]

Upon release, the US version was well received by the Stereo Review, which described the recording as "Terrific" and the performance as "Techno-pop fun." The magazine stated that the "time is right" for the band's "highly technological blend of dance rhythms, heavy metal, and pop melodies" while noting that "Rydeen" in particular "sprints by at a fast clip, ticking off a sprightly tune against a continuous bass-and-drum texture," though the "more rock-style efforts" were not as well received, with the magazine stating that "YMO's electronic tricks" and "the rock sensibility just don't seem to mix."[4] Allmusic later reviewed the Japanese version, describing the record as a "bizarre album" and scoring it 2.5 out of 5 stars.[2]

Charts

Year Release Chart Peak
Position		 Weeks Total
Sales
1980 10" LP Japan Oricon LP Chart[5] 1 24 331,000
1980 Cassette Japan Oricon CT Chart[5] 3 30 81,000
1980 12" LP Japan Oricon LP Chart[5] 7 34 18,600
1980 LP U.S. Billboard 200[6] 177

×∞Multiplies was the eighth best selling album of 1980 in Japan[7] - the best selling was Solid State Survivor as sales continued from the previous year.

References

  1. 1 2 Takahashi was listed as a composer on earlier issues because Sakamoto wrote the song's melody in collaboration with him.
  2. 1 2 X∞Multiplies at AllMusic
  3. ↑ Hepworth, David. "Albums". Smash Hits (August 21 – September 3, 1980): 30.
  4. 1 2 Stereo review, Volume 46. Stereo Review. 1981. p. 114. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "Yellow Magic Orchestra" (in Japanese). Yamachan Land (Oricon archives). Retrieved 2011-06-01. (Translation)
  6. ↑ Xoo Multiplies at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  7. ↑ Archived May 19, 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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