Earlier this year, the Atlanta-based Yacht Rock Revue (YRR) debuted their first album of original music, fittingly titled, HOT DADS in TIGHT JEANS. Rolling Stone credits the band's ability to deftly “..connect the dots between yesteryear’s soft rock and contemporary flourish.” American Songwriter praised the new album, saying "HOT DADS fuses everything YRR is in disco-rock funk beats and typical cheeky humor, all wrapped in old-school, radio countdown tracks." Praise for the band and their rousing live shows are near unanimous.
View Yacht Rock Revue’s version of OUR HOUSE, here
As with musicians in every port, all touring plans were put on hold when the pandemic hit our shores. The band shares that it has been challenging for them to find the right forms for creative expression these days. “It seems that what was true last week is no longer true this week. Facts, emotions, what you can depend on... it’s all changing at a disorienting rate.“
They felt their best use, as a musical group, is to make people happy. Nostalgia can wrap you up like a soft blanket. Yacht Rock Revue frontman Nicholas Niespodziani wanted to capture that feeling in a fresh way for YRR’s rendition of Our House in terms of the sound and approach to the song. “And it felt like it needed a hint of melancholy... cause 2020,” said Niespodziani, “I wanted to dig into the idea of our houses - since we all feel stuck in them right now - and how we can still be together even when we’re apart.”
So Niespodziani and his longtime creative collaborator (and sister), Gina, started throwing those ideas around, and soon realized they could use YouTube to create similar backgrounds for everyone if they shot the video in front of their TVs. “And it kinda went from there,” continued Niespodziani, “I was seeing a lot of these quarantine style video and we made a couple - “Hot Rod Hearts” with Robbie Dupree and “You’ve Got A Friend” - but I wanted to elevate the concept creatively.”
Limitations can be some of the greatest forms of inspiration.
While YRR's previously announced tour, in partnership with Live Nation and SiriusXM, has been delayed, you can still embark on Yacht Rock Radio 24/7 on SiriusXM.
Yacht Rock Revue is:
Nick Niespodziani
Pete Olson
David B. Freeman
Greg Lee
Mark Cobb
Mark Dannells
Mark Bencuya
Keisha Jackson
Kourtney Jackson
