Today, Yacht Rock Revue—hailed by Rolling Stone as the “world’s premier soft-rock party band”—delivers the first half of their original album, Escape Artist. Now streaming across DSPs, Disc 1 serves up smooth grooves and good vibes to close out the summer, as the band prepares for headlining shows following their final five performances with Train and REO Speedwagon.
Stream Disc 1 of Escape Artist here.
Slated for release on Friday, November 29, the entire 21-song concept album (Disc 1 and Disc 2)—spanning four sides of vinyl—showcases Yacht Rock Revue’s evolution beyond being a mere tribute act. This ambitious collection blends the band’s distinct style with classic yacht rock vibes, capturing waves of emotion and paying homage to the vinyl era. It’s a sun-soaked journey back to the anthems of the ’70s and ’80s.
Escape Artist reflects the desire to escape modern society, using music as a tool to break free from the worries of daily life. “Look out into the crowd and imagine what each person is escaping from. They’re escaping the modern condition to the idea of a less complicated time,” explains Yacht Rock Revue’s lead vocalist Nicholas Niespodziani. “We see it every night on the road—an audience transported somewhere else. We are Escape Artists. That’s our magic trick.”
“Of course, there’s also the literal layer—I want to escape the confines of what our band is supposed to be,” Nicholas continues. “Are we allowed to be artists, or are we trapped by a genre? We’ve always been pushing the envelope, going where no band like ours has gone before. I want it to be OK for us to express optimism, sadness, fear, and vulnerability. I want to escape the caricature that defines us. The ‘Escape Artist’ song lyrics tell that story.”
The latest release from Yacht Rock Revue features a rich collection of singles that showcase their signature yacht rock sound. The August 9 release included a double single featuring “Waves” and “Sail On.” “Waves,” with its gentle synthesizers and steady bassline, features ethereal vocals from Kourtney Jackson, who navigates lyrics about life’s ebbs and flows. Meanwhile, “Sail On” offers a Caribbean-inspired melody and island ambiance, with Peter Olson delivering reflective lyrics about simple life lessons.
Prior to this, the band released “Lost In The Meantime” and “Steal Away” on July 12. Nicholas describes “Lost In The Meantime” as a tribute to the understated yet profound moments in relationships, while “Steal Away,” a cover of Robbie Dupree’s 1980 hit, has been praised by Dupree himself for its fresh and delightful take. The album also features the lead singles “Tropical Illusion” and “Passengers,” which debuted on May 24. “Tropical Illusion,” co-written by Elliot Lurie of Looking Glass and Nicholas Niespodziani, pays homage to Looking Glass’s classic “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).”
Elliot Lurie reflects on his collaboration with Yacht Rock Revue and their growing national presence: “I played my first gig with Yacht Rock Revue about 12 years ago,” he says. “Seeing them perform to a massive crowd was unforgettable. Co-writing ‘Tropical Illusion’ with Nick for their new album is a full-circle moment and a testament to their enduring appeal.”
ESCAPE ARTIST TRACK LISTING
Disc 1:
Escape Artist
Make You Miss Me
Separate Grooves
Waves
Reverse Sunset
Lost In The Meantime
Sail On
Steal Away (Robbie Dupree Cover)
Tropical Illusion (feat. Elliot Lurie)
Passengers
Disc 2:
Triangle of Combustion
Lonely For You
Inverse Sunrise
San Junipero (Every Night Like Tonight)
Things Look Different
Monkeys Always Swinging
Bad Decisions
Worse Decisions
Here For the Feeling
Four in the Morning
What A Year
The band has spent the summer redefining the limits of what a cover band can achieve, supporting Train and REO Speedwagon on the Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour. In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Yacht Rock Revue’s Nicholas Niespodziani and REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin shared their enthusiasm for the tour. Additionally, Yacht Rock Revue offered an exclusive peek into life on the road with a candid tour diary for V13, while Music Connection featured the band with tips on “How to Be Original in a Cover Band.”
Beyond their summer-long tour, Yacht Rock Revue will close out the year headlining stages like NYC’s The Rooftop at Pier 17, Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ, Roadrunner in Boston, MA, and more. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Sarah Bahr of The New York Times reported her first-hand experience of Yacht Rock Revue’s liberating on-stage energy, observing fans who “danced for two hours to tunes from the 1970s and ’80s,” while Entertainment Weekly noted that “the shows tend to be unabashedly joyous affairs.”
YACHT ROCK REVUE TOUR DATES
DATE CITY / STATE VENUE
Friday, September 6 Wheatland, CA Toyota Amphitheatre ^
Saturday, September 7 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre ^
Sunday, September 8 Inglewood, CA The Kia Forum ^
Tuesday, September 10 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre ^
Wednesday, September 11 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre ^
Friday, September 20 New York City, NY The Rooftop at Pier 17 %
Saturday, September 21 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony Summer Stage %
Sunday, September 22 Boston, MA Roadrunner %
Friday, September 27 Indianapolis, IN Everwise Amphitheater at White River %
Saturday, October 5 Atlanta, GA Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park %
Saturday, November 9 Denver, CO The Mission Ballroom %
Friday, November 15 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview Casino Resort %
Thursday, January 23 Sarasota, FL Van Wezel Performing Arts %
Wednesday, May 14 Charlotte, NC The Amp Ballantyne %
^ = with Train and REO Speedwagon
% = Headlining Show
