Multiplayer 5: Connection Review
Buy Multiplayer 5: Connection
The sixth album from Multiplayer Charity, Connection, celebrates “love in all its forms by combining the talents of dozens of artists performing disco, orchestral, Bollywood, electronic, and other renditions of some of your favorite videogame melodies.” As with all Multiplayer albums, proceeds from sales go directly to charity—in this case, Cherish International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit helping the underprivileged in both the U.S. and India. Aside from a few song selections, all the tracks on the album reflect this theme of love, making this the perfect album for Valentine’s day or some other romantic occasion.
Album opener “Snake Eater” sounds like something from a James Bond film, featuring jaw-dropping vocals from Julia Henderson and a superb arrangement, courtesy of Hugo Junstrand. This bombastic track is the perfect amuse-bouche before listeners are treated the main course that follows with “Sweet” by Mohmega. Overall, this album is an intimate affair; you won’t find any pulse-pounding rock or metal tracks here, and that’s perfectly fine. The cohesion of this album is its greatest strength and its greatest weakness.
Unfortunately, the album drags a bit here and there, mainly due its runtime of 87 minutes and a few weaker tracks. My recommendation is to break the album up into two listening sessions, one session ending with “Ordon Village”, and the other starting with “Theme of Hunie Pop”. Don’t be intimidated by the silky smooth vocals of Jackson Alexander Parodi; he’s only here to show you a good time. Truth be told, I found myself wishing for more tracks like “Theme of Hunie Pop” to break up some of the monotony, but it should be stated that on the whole, this album features a staggering number of quality tracks from outstanding artists in the VGM community. I don’t wish to diminish their hard work; rather, my criticism stems from the album arrangement and pacing.
Although the album could have benefited from a shorter runtime, that isn’t to say this won’t be an enjoyable listen for most people. I found myself discovering new VGM artists, and I most definitely felt the love on almost every track. In that way, Connection succeeds in conveying its simple premise—love connects us all—and I can’t think of a more appropriate message for today’s world.
RATING: RECOMMENDED
(Fans of Compilation Albums Should Enjoy)