One of the biggest assumptions I made when I wrote the last post about the Too Slow To Disco compilation album was that you, the viewer, would know what was meant when I mentioned the genre of music known as "yacht rock."
Originally coined as a derisive term for the adult oriented rock or soft rock of the Seventies and early Eighties, the term was later adopted as both the title and grist of a historical comedy web mini series that originally aired from 2005-2010 and has since become more of a positive term than a negative one, especially in the eyes of the record labels who have churned out box sets, and both multiple and single disc compilations of the same couple hundred most popular yacht rock chart hits.
Inexplicably popular outside of the United States, yacht rock and its ilk (smooth rock, Westcoast, AOR, etc) are said to evoke the mythical laid back California hedonistic lifestyle for hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of fans around the world much as the music of the Beach Boys did just a decade earlier. The yacht rock genre has inspired many DJs and crate diggers who, rather than digging for possible samples and breakbeats, have unearthed and rediscovered lost smooth rock gems and never were hits but mighta coulda shoulda songs, albums and artists, which is essentially what the Too Slow For Disco compilations is all about.
A second volume of Too Slow To Disco was teased and mentioned in an interview given when the first volume was released in 2014. Slightly over a year later, DJ Supermarkt made a surprise return to the AOR Disco blog to announce the second volume in the series along with a teaser mini-mix of tracks from the album:
Fans of the one and done HBO comedy series Hello Ladies should recognize the first song on Too Slow To Disco 2 straight off as it was used as the theme song for both the show and later tie-up all the plot points full-length movie. The show is highly recommended for fans of yacht rock and Westcoast AOR because each episode ended with a different song from the genre. Here's the opening credits:
Skipping down to track 9, we have "Who'll Be The Fool Tonight" by the Larsen Feiten Band, another personal favorite of mine. Though my good buddy the soft rock kid™ somewhat off-handedly dismissed the group as "a poor man's Toto," repeated listenings have elevated the band to near legendary status here at The Hideaway. They only recorded one album under that moniker but later recorded together as Full Moon with a nearly identical lineup and a still smooth groovin' sound. When my youngest son finally breaks down and lets his dear ol' Dad borrow his new convertible sports car for an extensive test drive through the hilly wine country southeast of the Hideaway, the Larsen Feiten Band album will most definitely be one of the musical selections. Here's the band performing it's sole Top 40 hit on Solid Gold:
A brief introduction to Too Slow To Disco 2 as well as liner notes can be found HERE. Here's to looking forward to future volumes from DJ Supermarkt and the Mellow Mafia.
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Meanwhile, out by the pool...
In my never ending quest to find suitable music for warm nights out by (and in) the pool, I stumbled upon the Westcoast, Sunset Disco & Yacht Rock series of mixes by Paul Hillery who goes by the name pH when making mixes. When I say stumbled upon, I mean the artwork caught my eye on AOR Disco site and then I listened to the mix. To honor my stated purpose of keeping The Hideaway a family blog and in accordance with the wishes of my guest editor for the Summer (Hi Mom!), click on clickable mix titles below to see original cover art. Because they are built with obscure artists and tracks, the mixes aren't all winners but sometimes, when the moon, water and wind are right, there are some magic music moments.
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I never watched the "Yacht Rock" videos or series or whatever it is and someone like you. Mr. Herc, would say "John, you of all people haven't seen it?" It's not that I'm trying not to see it, it's just that I've never taken the time. However, while I hate why it's called that, I love the music because it's a major part of my childhood. If I have the radio on, I definitely do not turn the station.
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