Gentle men: The softer side of rock flourishes again
In the 1970s, it was America and Bread with the wispy vocals and gentle guitars. Now, Fleet Foxes and James Blunt have rediscovered soft rock.
Like it or not, the last few years have seen a return to the warm, gentle sounds of soft rock, the overly earnest musical subgenre that rose in the early 1970s and thrived throughout the decade.
Though the distance of time separates the new breed from its spiritual ancestors, the characteristics most associated with the sound are the same — emotionally available men with gentle guitars, wispy vocals, plaid shirts, (usually) beards and a love of nature — even if the context is different. For example, punk rock rose, in part, as a reaction to the platitudes often associated with soft rock. But to a new group of songwriters reared on Hot Topic punk and the ubiquity of distorted guitar, the most rebellious thing a young musician can do is go quiet and return to nature. Below, a brief history lesson.
--Compiled by Randall Roberts, Todd Martens and August Brown-
Top images: Christopher Cross (Los Angeles Times); Destroyer (Ted Bois) and James Blunt (Los Angeles Times)
Soft rock... or Brain Rot?
Posted by: Paleta Fresca | January 31, 2011 at 08:54 PM
Does somebody need a hug? August Brown, and Randall Roberts, and Todd Martens....who put vinegar in your green tea? Does music have to be an ice pick in a bloodshot eye to be meaningful. Melody and Harmony carry meaning beyond words that read as small and trite. Let a little gentle in Gentlemen.
Enjoying a little Bread won't ruin you. Some days are driving hard and some days need a little tenderness.
Posted by: James Loken | February 01, 2011 at 08:25 AM
How could you lump Fleet Foxes together with James Blunt? There's always been a market for schlock, so there's hardly anything notable about Blunt's obnoxious popularity.
Posted by: Quentin Compsen | February 01, 2011 at 09:26 AM
What...no Iron And Wine?
Posted by: David | February 01, 2011 at 11:56 AM