Soft preview

Soft
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Sunday, February 10, 2008

Self-proclaimed studio rats Soft owe a big debt to the blueprints of shoegazer bands (My Bloody Valentine, Ocean Colour Scene) of early-’90s Britain, with a seiche of psychedelic guitars and an analog rumble of big drum beats.

Hopelessly raising the public’s expectations, Soft were allegedly “locked up” in their Brooklyn studio for four years writing their debut album, Gone Faded (Academy Fight Song). Blogger and label hype have torpedoed any chance of the band achieving perfection on this album, and press-kit comparisons to The Stone Roses and INXS(!) are dreadfully off-base. But vocalist Johnny Reineck’s feathery, falsetto melodies against Vince Perini’s and Sam Wheeler’s droning guitars does create an interesting and sometimes transcendent (“Higher,” “Ten Times Stronger”) combination of baggy/emo rock for a new generation who haven’t heard it all before.

Unique Chique and Darling open.

— David Gedge

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly