It is mid-spring here in Columbia, and that may as well be summer. We’ve been lucky with week after week of sunny days, light breezes and mild humidity, which make me want to relax and lay by the pool, letting the wind flow through my hair with the sun warming my skin. No summer afternoon is complete for me without a healthy dose of yacht rock. The adult contemporary, easy-listening “scourge” of the 1970s-1980s may be despised by many, but it's ability to transport the listener is undeniable. While it is not particularly high-class or artistically advanced, it’s a genre I have great fondness for. There’s a lot of gold to find if you go looking.
1. Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs (1976)
The overall sound of Silk Degrees isn’t quite the polished yacht-rock sound that would define the genre, but Boz Scaggs’s blend of funk, disco, and easy-listening is magnetic. The sounds pioneered here would coalesce to create the genre as a whole. Listening may require a little suspension of disbelief. “Lowdown”, the album’s biggest hit, does admittedly sound a bit dated, with a flute breakdown, now-uncommon vocal stylings and a distinctive disco groove; it’s very much a product of its time. However, it was a fantastic time, and whether out of ironic enjoyment or sincerity, I always sing along with Scaggs’s passionate warnings to look out for that lowdown. “What Can I Say”, the album’s opener, is a strong barometer. If you meld with its background singers and orchestra hits, you’ll likely enjoy the rest of the album. If not, it won’t work for you. Regardless, Silk Degrees is both foundational to the development of yacht rock as a genre and a great album in its own right.
2. Aja by Steely Dan (1977)
Praised by audiophiles and record-collectors to this day for its immaculate production, Steely Dan’s Aja is an album I’ve had on repeat since I first listened. While Donald Fagen may hate the term “yacht rock”, there’s no denying that Aja is both one of the genre’s earliest examples and one of its very best. Every song is perfectly constructed, from the more complex title track to the shorter hits of “Peg” and “Josie”. It’s impossible to do the sound of this album justice by simply writing about it. The composition is perfect and the performances by various musicians across the album are second-to-none. The solos on “Black Cow” and “Deacon Blues” are highlights, sharp moments that cut perfectly through the mellow blend of jazz-rock that builds up to them. My favorite aspect of the album, though, is the underlying cynicism. Like practically all of Steely Dan’s work, it’s tinged with irony throughout. “Deacon Blues” calls for a name and recognition for all the losers of the world, for example. Personally, this really encapsulates the feeling I get after a long day spent on the beach or by the pool. I don’t particularly feel successful. I typically end the day somehow more tired than when I started. This is the exact feel many of Aja’s tracks evoke in the listener, in the very best way possible. They transport you to a relaxing, never-ending vacation - but it’s one that you know shouldn’t go on forever. It’s not only one of Steely Dan’s best albums musically, but lyrically and production-wise, too. Please give it a thorough listen this spring.
3. Christopher Cross by Christopher Cross (1979)
Even the cover of Cross’s self-titled debut album screams yacht rock - or softly croons, I suppose - with a pastel flamingo standing in the water surrounded by the texture of dark-green foliage. It’s exactly the visual aesthetic you’d see now at a tacky Florida resort. In contrast, though, Cross’s debut was lauded by the industry, winning five Grammy awards including Album of the Year. “Sailing” remains an adult contemporary classic to this day, to the point that some consider it overplayed. Deep cuts on the album deserve just as much appreciation, though, with a personal standout of mine being “The Light is On”, the track right before “Sailing”. Cross’s vocal work is undoubtedly impressive throughout. You don’t need to love the aesthetic or the sound of soft rock to appreciate great singing, and his voice would remain one of the most iconic of the decade. Despite its apparent corniness, it’s almost impossible for me to picture a day on the beach without hearing his high notes. Even if you hate “Sailing”, please do give the rest of the album a shot; it’s relatively varied, and a brief listen.
4. Private Eyes by Hall and Oates (1981)
Daryl Hall and John Oates don’t need much introduction. Their names are synonymous with both soft-rock and the best of '80s pop, with a prolific decades-spanning career together. It’s near impossible to pick a favorite, but for this post, I’ve settled on their 1981 release Private Eyes. Its incredible first side contains two of my favorite Hall and Oates tracks, “Private Eyes" and “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)”. The album does admittedly lean a bit closer to pop sensibilities, but the more relaxed B-side retains all the hallmarks of the duo’s earlier work in adult contemporary. “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” remains my favorite track they’ve ever made, with an incredible groove and solo that concludes the song’s journey. “Private Eyes”, the title track, is much more high-energy, more reminiscent of the early disco-melding that gave rise to the genre in the first place.
“How Long” by Ace is a certified classic, as is any material by the Doobie Brothers or Michael McDonald. Summer’s here, and it demands the perfect playlist to lounge around with.