For music purists, “light rock” is an evil phrase. It strips away the menace and vigor that makes The Kinks, The Clash or even The Strokes such compelling listens.
“But wait,” you say, “aren’t there artists with soft vocals and minimal distortion who are worthy of praise? Artists who weave gorgeous melodies through keyboards and flutes and violins?”
Yeah. But guess what? That’s not rock.
Subsets of rock have found appropriate figureheads in recent years, from alt-country (Ryan Adams) to pop-rock (Fountains of Wayne). Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that America – the quintessential light rock band – was prodded back into the studio by members of those groups.
America’s Neil Young-aping 1972 single “A Horse With No Name” and the equally derivative “You Can Do Magic,” a Steely Dan rip-off from a decade later, provide signposts for many radio listeners. The band’s honey-drizzled harmonies and laid-back rhythms are perfect for people who find Elton John too loud and taxing.
Now we have the children of the ’70s helping America limp back to life. They took America’s soft rock anthems at face value during their childhoods and absorbed them into their musical tissue. They considered the band just another fish in a sea of influences, instead of an affront to rock’s vitality.
The “Here & Now” album, out today on Sony/BMG’s Burgundy label, began when America members Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley were contacted by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne. He sweet-talked them into the studio, where writing and recording a new album became inevitable. A patchwork of contemporary artists like James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), lent talent.
The results are mediocre at best. Lead track “Chasing the Rainbow” sounds like a breathy Christian boy band, Gerry Beckley’s sugary, over-earnest vocals quickly invoking any number of teen pop affectations. Disturbing? You bet. “Indian Summer” fares better because of Dewey Bunnell’s more palatable pipes, and the fact it’s a cover of song by Brooklyn folk-rockers Maplewood.
In fact, covers and co-written tracks are the album’s highlights. “Golden,” a My Morning Jacket song, brings in members of that band and indie-popster Ben Kweller for a serviceable version of the tune. The pedal steel sounds positively timid compared to the one on My Morning Jacket’s recent “Okonokos” live disc, and Kweller seems bored in his brief harmonica role.
Nada Surf’s “Always Love,” with its alternately inane lyrics and excellent melodies, splits the difference, sounding like a mangled Matthew Sweet B-side. You have to wonder if these guest musicians went into the studio with good intentions and, once recording started, wondered what in America’s name they were getting themselves into.
Quality and quantity will probably make “Here & Now” a satisfying purchase for America fans. “Ride On,” for example, opens with a wiry guitar line that recalls dark, countrified surf rock. The performances are nearly flawless. And a second disc even collects 12 live tracks from America’s “History” greatest-hits disc.
But casual fans of America – and even diehard devotees of the collected guest artists – would be advised to stay away. Far, far away.
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
