Soft Rock


SOFT ROCK & MASCULINITY

  • 1960s and early 1970s, soft rock term emerges

  • lacking authentication

  • marketed for more female audience

  • alot of rock criticism (some of the most important figures end up having the worst of criticism)

  • Troubadour

  • softer or more acoustic sound compared to the louder and electric styles of traditional rock bands

  • harmonization

  • songwriting talents

  • Blue eyed soul

  • personal / intimate

Troubadour

  • for traveling musician (singer/song writer work)

  • softer musicians

  • where the eagles were formed

  • writing about what happening in social world (often use their music to comment on or reflect the social and cultural issues of their time)

  • historically associated with itinerant poets or musicians who traveled and performed their compositions

  • softer or more acoustic sound compared to the louder and electric styles of traditional rock bands.

Carol King - LA scene

  • embracing aspects of softness

  • James Taylor a friend

  • Féminine maxism: personal and political songs (intimate, confessional)

  • Many brill building hits

  • album released in 1971, recorded her own material. 4 grammy awards for this album

  • born on February 9, 1942, in Manhattan, New York City.

  • songwriting talents extend beyond her own performances.

  • Carole King co-wrote the classic song "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" with Gerry Goffin. Aretha Franklin's rendition of the song became one of the Queen of Soul's signature hits.

Tapestry (1971)

  • more heartfelt and emotional

  • stripped down (not full texture fo a rock band)

  • intimate feeling

  • lyrics understood as overt sexual innuendo

Brill Building

  • a historic building located at 1619 Broadway in the New York City borough of Manhattan

  • ONE STOP SHOP FOR HIT MAKING

  • a hub for music publishers, songwriters, and musicians, making it a central location for the creation of popular music during the Brill Building era.

  • played a crucial role in the development of the American pop and rock music scene.

  • earned a reputation as a "hit factory" due to the large number of chart-topping songs that were written, produced, and recorded there

The Eagles - LA scene

  • very successful but received extreme music criticism

  • best selling rock artist of 1970s

  • at end of 90s, 2 albums were the highest of all time

  • overlap with country and western

  • came from outside of cali

  • associated with LA scene

  • formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1971

  • Original Lineup:

    • Glenn Frey: Guitar, vocals

    • Don Henley: Drums, vocals

    • Bernie Leadon: Guitar, vocals

    • Randy Meisner: Bass, vocals

  • contributions to the country rock and soft rock genres. They are celebrated for their songwriting, vocal harmonies, and instrumental prowess

  • will hear vocal harmonization

Critics Opinion of Lester Bangs

  • “doesnt work”

  • doesnt have any guts

  • its bland

  • offended by the very popularity of the eagles that he cant understand why

  • music should be hard and show struggle, not this

  • MOR = middle of the road (so boring)

Philadelphia Soft Soul

  • hit for stylistics

  • idea of crossover, how an artist can crossover into different types of music

    • went against the segregated genres in music, where rock was for the whites

  • Blue eyed soul

  • adult contemporary , too slow to be though to be normal rock music

Hall and Oates — Philadelphia Soft Soul

  • example of Philadelphia Soft Soul

  • referred to as Blue eyed soul

  • Duo from Philadelphia

  • Made “She’s Gone” from Abandoned Luncheonette (1973)

  • formed in the early 1970s. Daryl Hall and John Oates

  • Philadelphia Sound: Hall & Oates were part of the Philadelphia music scene and contributed to the city's rich musical heritage.

Redbone +

  • put native american elements within music (drums)

  • also marketed as blue eyed soul

  • formed in 1969

  • Native American brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas.

  • Members:

    • Lolly Vegas (guitar, vocals)

    • Pat Vegas (bass, vocals)

    • Tony Bellamy (guitar)

    • Peter DePoe (drums)

  • The band embraced and celebrated their Native American heritage in their music and visuals.

  • Hit Songs: Redbone's most famous and successful song is "Come and Get Your Love," released in 1973. The song became a major hit, reaching the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.