Dinner Music 128: The weekly lineup
women of yacht rock
This week we’re listening to some yacht rock women. I have been a long, long time fan of Laura Allen and wanted to do a deep dive on other women who were (or are) doing yacht rock, which feels, to me, so dominated by male-forward groups, like Steely Dan or The Doobie Brothers, both of which I love (especially Steely Dan). If you’re not in a good mood already, you will be by the end of the playlist.
We begin with Laura Allen’s 1972 self-titled album, breezy folk-psych gem with a touch of new age before new age had a name. Allen’s voice is earthy, layered over harp, flute, and soft acoustic strums, and there’s a spiritual sweetness here that feels like a sunlit hillside in Laurel Canyon—intimate, optimistic, and open-hearted. Next, we move into Abracadabra, Claire Hamill’s fourth studio album and her full plunge into experimental pop. Known early on as a British folk prodigy, Hamill drifts here into synths, strings, and enchantment. The songs are strange and theatrical in a way that feels perfectly mid-70s. Then, we hit Silver by Say She She, a dazzlingly funky, harmony-drenched record from the modern-day queens of retro-futurist soul. The NYC trio brings disco, protest, and pure glam into one heady mix—like if the Three Degrees were produced by Khruangbin. This album pulses, struts, and shimmers, but there’s grit underneath the glitter. Valerie Carter’s Just A Stone’s Throw Away is next, a 1977 debut filled with west coast sunshine, soft rock gold, and quietly devastating lyrics. A longtime backup singer (for everyone from James Taylor to Jackson Browne), Carter’s solo voice has a gentle ache to it. This one’s for windows-down drives and quietly reflective mornings. We close with Jackie Cohen’s Pratfall, a lush and theatrical art-pop album with a touch of sardonic bite.
Enjoy.
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