Article Contributed by Cameron Shepherd
Published on January 13, 2026
Strong 7s kick off 2026 with “Yes I Do,” a swinging, horn-bright introduction to their debut album Entertain Themselves, out January 16th. Co-led by songwriter and vocalist Andrew Backer and guitarist Nick Saia, the New York, based group describes their sound as “western swing by easterners and rock n’ roll for heartbroken idiots”, a line that perfectly captures what’s in store.
Shaped by years of collaboration and jazz rooted instincts, the band reshapes vintage swing into something that feels fresh. Dave Strawn’s bass anchors the groove while Asher Herzog’s drums keep the jam in motion. The horn section, John Cushing on trombone, Tree Palmedo on trumpet, and Nathan Nakadegawa-Lee on saxophone, paints the track bright, giving it the feel of a crooked carnival carrying heartbreak along with it.
At the center of “Yes I Do” is a narrator caught between holding on and letting go. Backer sings of eyes that refuse to close and a mind that’s drifted since love slipped away.
“Can’t seem to rest my eyes, they stay open / For just the sight of you, that’s what they’re hoping / Had a mind of their own since I’ve lost my own / Blame it all on you, yes I do.”
Later, the song delivers its quiet emotional truth.
“My heart might break, but never soften / Blame it all on you, yes I do.”
These lines capture the familiar ache of heartbreak, where blame becomes a way of staying connected to something that’s already broken. It’s tender and stubborn in the most human way. When the band stretches out after those words, the music begins to sway and breathe. Strawn, Herzog, and Saia weave around each other while the horns continue to glow overhead into the next set of lyrics.
Musically, the band never lets the sadness slow the song down. The horns dance through the rhythm section. Keeping everything light on its feet, and the whole track moves with a loose, swinging energy that makes the emotion easier to carry. “Yes I Do” is short and sweet, but it holds a full emotional arc of longing, frustration, and the quiet refusal to let go. It’s a clear preview of what Entertain Themselves promises to deliver.
To celebrate their upcoming album Entertain Themselves, Strong 7s will return to the Jalopy Theatre NYC (tickets here), one of their longtime musical homes, for a release show alongside Caroline Kuhn and American Seraphim.
