What do you think about soft rock?

From England, 5 posts

Although most of what I listen to is upbeat and theatrical, I can appreciate downbeat, soft rock just as much if it has good melodies and some character to it. e.g Pulp's _We Love Life_, Nick Heyward's _From Monday to Sunday_ and Lloyd Cole's _The Negatives_ could hardly be called exciting albums but they have lots of other qualities that make them good listens. I only have a handful of such albums but theyre all a valueable part of my collection.

40 posts

Pulp are not soft rock. Fleetwood Mac are soft rock. Bryan Adams is soft rock. Bon Jovi's output since the 1990's is soft rock. The Feeling are soft rock. Meatloaf is soft rock. Pulp are/were indie pop/rock. They are far too edgy, filthy and unpredictable to be considered soft rock. They are more Scott Walker than Rod Stewart; more Leonard Cohen than The Doobie Brothers. To suggest otherwise is to dumb down the quality of Jarvis Cocker's songwriting.

Come to think of it, Nick Heyward and Lloyd Cole are hardly soft rock either. They're more singer-songwritery, they fall into new wave or 1980's pop more than they do soft rock. Soft rock is what my friends' mothers used to listen to when I was 10, all Phil Collins and Michael McDonald and music that could put you to sleep. The stuff you mentioned is exciting, interesting and thoughtful and has much more of an edge to it than any MOR soft rock act.

From England, 5 posts

You put your point across well though I stand by my own. I guess it depends on what someone listens to as what they describe as soft and heavy music. The bands I mentioned are soft compared to many other artists I listen to and that's not a comment against their ability at all, Jarvis in particular is a brilliant songwriter in my view. I have the same conversations with my friends and workmates about different styles of music, some Hip Hop acts I find really extreme and ground breaking my mates find dull and I know people that consider any music under 200BPM as soft because they're not used to it.

I appreciate the reply

Weezasqueeza

812 posts

Hi Weeza, I honestly think Mindy is insulting your intelligence by discrediting what you, in your opinion, believe to be soft rock. Just because Mindy did not listen to it when she was ten, doesn't mean it is not soft rock. You cant pigeon hole any artist or band. Take someone like Robbie Williams, he has covered Rock, Soft Rock, Hip Hop, Pop, he has even covered Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin songs. So in my opinion Weeza, if you think its soft rock, it is soft rock. It doesn't have to be on driving CD released around fathers day to fall into this genre.

From South West UK, 2002 posts

Good comments there Lee,
I think soft rock is how you feel it is. Having lived through the first 'pop' sounds of the Beatles, who do a few soft rock numbers too, through Glam Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock and every other Rock, including rock and roll, there is a little soft rock to be found in most! The Stranglers for example, big punk rock group but I would call their song 'Golden Brown' as a kinda soft rock. People look at it in different ways, I mean, I remember the Sid Vicious Punk Rock stuff (didn't like it!) of the late seventies early eighties, but my son plays in a band and describe their music as punk/rock, (they are brilliant of course, no kidding!) yet it is nothing like the sex pistols punk! I would regard Phil Collins more pop than rock, but he has done upbeat and soft numbers which could easily slot into different genres.
It is almost like saying - I like Tamla Motown. So many different artists, so many different styles, but on one record label. So they all have that in common. Soft Rock covers a vast amount of different artists! But Soft Rock IS the MUSIC not the artist essentially.

812 posts

Hi again Weeza, i just come across this page about soft rock. It gives some examples of songs that come under this genre. To back up what i said earlier, pay particular attention to Rod Stewart. This was a bad example for Mindy to give you as we can all see some of his songs fall under "soft rock". Im aware that 95% of his work would not fall into this category, thats why i would not pigeon hole any artist and be as bold to say they only sing "This" type of song.
I fully expect Mindy to attempt to discredit the points that i have made, thats what Mindy likes to do you see. I look forward to your reply Mindy, have you got the will power to ignore me? I dont think you have. Maybe you could prove me wrong for once!

812 posts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_rock

40 posts

Originally posted by Weezasqueeza on 12 Apr 2007 7:36 PM
You put your point across well though I stand by my own. I guess it depends on what someone listens to as what they describe as soft and heavy music. The bands I mentioned are soft compared to many other artists I listen to and that's not a comment against their ability at all, Jarvis in particular is a brilliant songwriter in my view. I have the same conversations with my friends and workmates about different styles of music, some Hip Hop acts I find really extreme and ground breaking my mates find dull and I know people that consider any music under 200BPM as soft because they're not used to it.

I appreciate the reply

Weezasqueeza

Dude, I'm not insulting your tastes, you've mentioned 3 really fantastic songwriters. I just have a problem with the classification of "soft rock." Rock music should be visceral and emotional - angry, heartbreaking, vulnerable, gut-wrenching - anything of that sort, but it should make you feel 1000 different types of emotions. You should be drawn to it, fascinated and hypnotised and it should touch you in some way. Rock is about raw emotion. There are a lot of beautiful, quiet songs that I would classify as rock but I would never call "soft" rock. "Soft" rock has the connotation of something nice and polite, something that sits in the background and that you would play for your gran and she'd say "oh, aren't they lovely lads." Soft rock is for cliches and manufactured record company projects, it's not a classification for bands and artists who are writing from their gut and inspire you in a million different ways each time you hear one of their songs.

From England, 5 posts

Hey Lee, thanks for the web page link,and to Mindy, you havent offended me one bit, I'm glad my first post here inspired the debate it did,it means I'm among people that really care alot about music.

Weezasqueeza

8 posts

Originally posted by helendydunn on 26 Feb 2007 9:30 PM
Yes. What bands are you thinking of as an example? Soft Rock could cover a lot of different stuff!

Before I like the music of Matchbox 20 and Oasis.. Now I don't have any idea of a good soft rock band.. Are you afraid of the dark? DVD