They are -- until they're not. Re: "Ya Mo Be There." Secular artists, Christian as hell song. (See what I did there?)
Nice male/female harmonies, driven along by some smooth bubbling funk Try this one for size, similar approach... quack quack! The Imperials - Living Without Your Love I think they even had an album called Sail On
I shall now attempt to document some cover variations across two different major music markets, basically the US and Japan (apart from the really big deal groups like the Doobies themselves, many of these albums never seemed to have European releases). Given the image count rule, I'll do a couple per post - can you think of any others within this type of music? Frankie Bleu, 1981 - US top, JPN bottom: Larry Lee, 1982 - US top, JPN bottom:
Interesting. It seems the Japanese don't like to see the artists on their covers. And based on the looks of some of these dudes can you blame them?
It is interesting yes... but without some Japanese people coming forward and explaining the policy, we may never truly know the answer Perhaps they were going for more of a feel, using the new imagery to convey a sense of what they felt the musical ambience created? My understanding is, an artist like Tony Sciuto scored big there around 1980 with the "Island Nights" song and album - so maybe the JP were already narrowing down a specific sound to a certain sub-genre (American Westcoast Soft Rock AOR, much of which now post the infamous Yacht Rock web show, has effectively merged and become what you see discussed in this thread). George Martin esque production values blended with 1st gen Baby Boomer epoch Americana leitmotifs Always keeping it mellow and melodic... Anything too abrasive and raucous simply doesn't fit - the Fee Waybill '84 for example, is very tenuous in my view, even though it is packed with all the usual suspects in this game
Dwayne Ford, 1981 - CAN/EU top, JPN bottom: So there you see again, the original [album cover] sort of riffs on the title... but then the JP release goes for more of a vague, dreamy shot with a clear reference to classic US automobile styling. The palm trees (?) as well I suppose, again, Californian symbolism.
Great opener from Larry Lee here: When we call this album a masterpiece, it's because most tracks on it from start to finish embody the type of sound we chase and enjoy (especially now summer is FINALLY kicking into gear!)
Average White Band, 1982 - UK, Germany and Japan top, North America bottom: Not really a fan of either of these images tbh (the 2nd one is how forensic police in the UK dress at crime scenes!), but the album itself has a few mellow, softer jazzy cuts, such as:
Another interesting turn up... Various – Inside Moves Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Stage & Screen Style: Soundtrack Year: 1980 Tracklist The Spinners*– Just Be Free 4:42 Ambrosia (2)– Outside 3:58 Lady Sylvia*– Something's Missing In My Life 4:00 Boz Scaggs– You Make It So Hard (To Say No) 3:28 John Barry– Inside Moves Theme 2:39 Leo Sayer– It's Your Move 3:46 Eagles– I Can't Tell You Why 4:28 Pablo Cruise– What've You Got To Lose 3:56 Lady Sylvia*– Beautiful Dreamer 4:24 John Barry– Love Theme 3:20 ...don't think ever seen the film, great Director though
His singing voice is super mellow and laid back, as are many of the arrangements. You can really hear and imagine the high bright Cali sun in the music! A real shame his recording career appears to have been so brief. The above album and this Japan only release seem to be all that is out there:
Well, the Doobie Bounce House Championship Tournament is in full swing on Yacht Rock Discord, which usually digs up a treasure trove of obscure doobie bounce singles, and this year is no different. Here's a really good one I'd never heard from Dutch band Solution. See what you think.
Thank god for AI. Spotify, once severely yacht rock challenged (their original beamed in from another planet yacht rock playlist is the stuff of legends), has recently become quite adept at unearthing yacht tracks for me. This came up in my weekly "for you" feed, and I have to say, it's quite the banger:
An underrated classic and a staple of the most listened radio station of my country. The bass line at the end is magical.
Yeah, it must be popular somewhere, because the track has more than 1.5 million plays on Spotify, and the YouTube video I linked to has more than a million views. Trivia: Griffin was Smokey Robinson's replacement in The Miracles after he left. I think the band's popularity diminished at that point, but I think the first two albums with Griffin, Renaissance and particularly Do It Baby, are absolutely killer stuff. Here's one of my favorites from that era. (This track appeared on both albums, for some reason.)
Good to see this one has been mentioned in the thread a few years back SNEAKER Self titled, 1981. Fagen & Becker write the 1st track, and you've Foster on Clavinet, but other than that, this is a largely self contained effort by the band (Mitch Crane, lead vocals, Michael Carey Schneider, lead vocals, Tim Torrance, guitar, Jim King, keyboards, Michael Cottage, bass & Mike Hughes, drums) themselves from what I can make out. Tasteful, inoffensive and accomplished
The radio is called Antena 1 and, among other, more modern stuff, they play west coast/yacht rock classics including Christopher Cross, Toto, Boz Scaggs, Nicolette Larson, George Benson, and others. They even give airtime to Young Gun Silver Fox, which I find excellent. That's how I discovered the genre in the first place. Being the most listened radio in Brazil, a country of 200 million people, it will give some songs a lot of plays.
