Yellow Magic Orchestra – “Naughty Boys” review

Yellow Magic Orchestra – Naughty Boys (1983)

Final verdict: 3/10 ★⋆˙⟡☆☆☆

I reckon “Naughty Boys” has achieved cult classic status, but this kind of sucks ass, I’m sorry. I’ve given it so many tries, yet I cannot get into it at all.

First time I listened to this tears formed in my eyes actually, and not for good reason. I was so disappointed my beloved YMO could have put out such a painfully mediocre, barely listenable album. No doubt this is their weakest album, and by a long shot.

Most songs are not particularly aggravating, in fact some of them are rather listenable (君に胸キュン, 音楽, 邂逅), while some are not, though they had great potential to be bangers (希望の河, Wild Ambitions). And then of course you have songs that are unlistenable territory, all the songs I didn’t list as either listenable or at the very least promising.

Also, even if this album was any good, the mixing on this is so bad that all hypothetical listenability would instantly evaporate. It’s seriously baffling how this mix was approved for release, for an artist that brought in big bucks no less.

Luckily, YMO followed this up with “過激な淑女” and “Service”, a great single and great album respectively, getting back on track with releasing good music up until the group’s eventual dissolution. However, I by no means blame them for the existence of “Naughty Boys” – poor guys just wanted to disband already, and releasing an album last minute as a cash-grab is a perfectly respectable business move, no matter the quality of the music. So, kudos to YMO regardless, they were true businessmen.

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