Yanqui U.X.O.

{{lang|es|Yanqui}} is the Spanish word for "Yankee".{{Cite web |last=Khanna |first=Vish |date=May 4, 2015 |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/godspeed_you_black_emperor-theres_only_hope |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Exclaim! |language=en}} The liner notes also refer to "Yanqui" as a "multinational corporate oligarchy", while "U.X.O." stands for "unexploded ordnance".{{Cite news |last=Empire |first=Kitty |date=2002-11-10 |title=Get used to the limelight |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/nov/10/features.review27 |access-date=2025-01-12 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}} The packaging of the album contains an arrow diagram purporting to represent the links between four major record labels (AOL Time-Warner, BMG, Sony, Vivendi Universal) and various arms manufacturers.{{cite web|author=Marsh, Peter|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/z354/|title=...If Stravinsky was still around, he'd be a fan...|work=BBC|date=November 20, 2002|access-date=January 1, 2009}} This chart accompanied a photograph of falling bombs. The band later admitted that a particular extension of the chart (namely EMI appearing on the chart as a subsidiary of AOL Time-Warner) was incorrect.{{cite web |url=http://cstrecords.com/html/yanquiartworknote.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030409051707/http://cstrecords.com/html/yanquiartworknote.html |archive-date=April 9, 2003 |title=A Note On the Artwork for Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Yanqui U.X.O. |access-date=April 18, 2009 }}

The album was released as a CD and a double vinyl LP. The LP differs in three ways from the CD:

First, the two-part composition "09-15-00" is compounded into one part. (The album liner notes imply that on this date the second Palestinian intifada began, although this is incorrect.){{cite web|author=Petridis, Alexis|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2002/dec/20/popandrock.artsfeatures|title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui UXO|work=The Guardian|date=December 20, 2002|access-date=January 1, 2009}}

Second, an untitled "hidden" track is added after some silence, in a similar manner to the short song "J.L.H. Outro" on the CD release of F♯ A♯ ∞. This ulterior track consists of a sampled and cut-up George W. Bush speech with applause added. The track also appears on bandmember Aidan Girt's related project 1-Speed Bike's debut album Droopy Butt Begone! (2000) in the track "The Day that Mauro Ran Over Elwy Yost", as well as on Museum Fire Records' compilation Azadi! (2003), a benefit for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan where it is titled "George Bush Cut Up While Talking".[http://www.brainwashed.com/godspeed/music.html GYBE's discography] at Brainwashed.com

Finally, the second part of the two-part track "motherfucker=redeemer" is about five minutes longer on the LP due to an extended ambient opening.

Common alternate titles for certain pieces used by the band on setlists include "12-28-99" (which became "09-15-00"), "Tazer Floyd" (became "Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls"), and "Tiny Silver Hammers" (became "motherfucker=redeemer").{{cite web|url=http://pages.infinit.net/etrembla/cc/n.htm|title=Godspeed You Black Emperor: Concert Chronology|work=etrembla|year=2002|access-date=January 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021313/pages.infinit.net/etrembla/cc/n.htm|archive-date=Nov 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}

The album was recorded at Electrical Audio by Steve Albini. The record was mixed by the band and Howard Bilerman (who also did some additional recording) at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal, and mastered by John Loder and Steve Rooke at Abbey Road Studios in London, UK.

{{Album ratings

| MC = 80/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/yanqui-uxo/godspeed-you!-black-emperor |title=Reviews for Yanqui U.X.O. by Godspeed You! Black Emperor |website=Metacritic |access-date=July 9, 2012}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=yanqui-uxo-mw0000228552|pure_url=yes}} |title=Yanqui U.X.O. – Godspeed You! Black Emperor |website=AllMusic |access-date=July 21, 2009 |last=Jurek |first=Thom}}

| rev2 = Blender

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.blender.com:80/reviews/review_213.html |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. |magazine=Blender |issue=13 |date=February 2003 |access-date=August 5, 2018 |last=Weiner |first=Jonah |page=93 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040419071137/http://www.blender.com:80/reviews/review_213.html |archive-date=April 19, 2004}}

| rev3 = Drowned in Sound

| rev3score = 10/10{{cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/3134/reviews/5245 |title=Album Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Yanqui U.X.O. |website=Drowned in Sound |date=October 29, 2002 |access-date=June 10, 2019 |last=Cowling |first=Ralph |archive-date=January 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190117071613/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/3134/reviews/5245 |url-status=dead }}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}

| rev5 = Pitchfork

| rev5score = 5.6/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3487-yanqui-uxo/ |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. |work=Pitchfork |date=October 27, 2002 |access-date=July 21, 2009 |last=Schreiber |first=Ryan}}

| rev6 = Q

| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. |magazine=Q |issue=197 |date=December 2002 |page=103}}

| rev7 = Spin

| rev7score = 7/10{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1vIfI5iSyMEC&pg=PA120 |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. |magazine=Spin |volume=19 |issue=3 |date=March 2003 |access-date=August 5, 2018 |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes |page=120}}

| rev8 = Stylus Magazine

| rev8score = B+{{cite web |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/godspeed-you-black-emperor/yanqui-uxo.htm |title=Godspeed You Black Emperor! – Yanqui U.X.O. – Review |work=Stylus Magazine |date=September 1, 2003 |access-date=August 5, 2018 |last=Jarvis |first=Clay |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201143451/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/godspeed-you-black-emperor/yanqui-uxo.htm |archive-date=February 1, 2010}}

| rev9 = Uncut

| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui U.X.O. |magazine=Uncut |issue=67 |date=December 2002 |page=130}}

}}

Yanqui U.X.O is the band's most critically divisive record, receiving a rating of 80 out of 100 on the online review aggregator Metacritic, which corresponds with "generally favorable reviews", based on 16 reviews. While some, such as Thom Jurek of AllMusic, praised the release as being among the group's finest albums, others, like Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork, derided it for its "sluggishness and a lack of invention".

Playlouder ranked the album at number 47 on their list of the top 50 albums of 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.playlouder.com/top50/2002/albums9.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051019150548/http://www.playlouder.com/top50/2002/albums9.html|title=Top 50|publisher=Playlouder|archivedate=October 19, 2005|accessdate=November 11, 2021}}

{{Tracklist

| headline =

| title1 = 09-15-00

| length1 = 16:27

| title2 = 09-15-00 (cont.)

| length2 = 6:17

| title3 = Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls

| length3 = 20:42

| title4 = motherfucker=redeemer

| length4 = 21:22

| title5 = motherfucker=redeemer (cont.)

| length5 = 10:10

| total_length = 74:57

}}

{{Tracklist

| headline = Side one

| total_length =

| title1 = 09-15-00

| length1 = 22:40

}}{{tracklist

| headline = Side two

| total_length =

| title2 = Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls

| length2 = 20:43

}}{{tracklist

| headline = Side three

| total_length =

| title3 = motherfucker=redeemer

| length3 = 21:30

}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Side four

| total_length =

| title4 = motherfucker=redeemer (cont.)"

• (Hidden track: George Bush Cut Up While Talking)

| length4 = 15:25

• 3:40

}}

;Godspeed You! Black Emperor

• Thierry Amar – bass guitar, double bass
• David Bryant – electric guitar
• Bruce Cawdron – drums
• Aidan Girt – drums
• Norsola Johnson – cello
• Efrim Menuck – electric guitar
• Mauro Pezzente – bass guitar
• Roger Tellier-Craig – electric guitar
• Sophie Trudeau – violin

;Other musicians

• Josh Abrams – double bass
• Geof Bradfield – bass clarinet
• Rob Mazurek – trumpet
• Matana Roberts – clarinet

;Production

• Steve Albini – recording, production
• Howard Bilerman – mixing
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor – mixing
• John Loder – mastering
• Steve Rooke – mastering

{{Reflist}}

• [http://cstrecords.com/products/godspeed-you-black-emperor-yanqui-u-x-o/ Yanqui U.X.O.] at Constellation Records

{{Godspeed You! Black Emperor}}

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Category:2002 albums

Category:Albums produced by Steve Albini

Category:Constellation Records (Canada) albums

Category:Godspeed You! Black Emperor albums

Category:Instrumental rock albums