Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
Group Members: Rose Melberg
All Music Guide:
Borrowing their name from a British new wave group, the Softies were formed in 1994 by singer/guitarist Rose Melberg following the dissolution of her previous band, Tiger Trap. Upon relocating from Sacramento, CA, to Portland, OR, Melberg first established the trio Go Sailor, still a going concern when she teamed with Pretty Face alum (and publisher of the fanzine Sparkly Kitty Sticker) Jen Sbragia to found the Softies. The indie pop duo debuted in early 1995 with "Loveseat," a single issued on the Slumberland label; their gorgeous debut LP It's Love followed later in the year on Calvin Johnson's K label. After a self-titled 1996 Softies Self Titled 10", the Softies returned to K in early 1997 to issue their sophomore effort, Winter Pageant; at the same time, both Melberg and Sbragia also teamed with Class' Peter Green in the Three Peeps. Fall 2000 saw the release of their third album, Holiday in Rhode Island.
Wikipedia:
The Softies were a musical duo consisting of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia, whose genre was love songs using only their two voices and electric guitars.
Beginning in 1994, the musical group was a side project for both artists. Along with an eventual career as a solo artist, Rose Melberg performed with Tiger Trap, Gaze, and Go Sailor. Jen Sbragia was known for her work with the band Pretty Face. As part of the Twee Pop movement centrally located in the Pacific Northwest, they were able to meet at performances for their respective bands. The two derived their named from a UK New Wave group.
After Tiger Trap disbanded in January 1994, the pair formed The Softies and recorded the four-song “Love Seat” 7-inch single for Slumberland Records. Calvin Johnson later produced their “He’ll Never Have To Know” single and the band’s debut album It’s Love on the K Records label. They released an eponymous EP under Slumberland Records in 1996 (recorded before It's Love). Within months, they would record their critically acclaimed full-length Winter Pageant in Melberg’s childhood home in Sacramento, California. In 2000, they released their final collaborative work, Holiday in Rhode Island. It is sometimes speculated that their albums correspond with the seasons of the year as follows: It's Love (Summer), The Softies (Autumn), Winter Pageant (Winter), Holiday in Rhode Island (Spring).
The Softies almost exclusively use two electric guitars and harmonizing vocal melodies for their recorded tracks and live performances. Their lack of accompaniment, inexcessive production, and brevity of their songs are recurring characteristics of their work throughout their three full-length albums.
The band undertook a few tours, including as an opening act for singer/songwriter Elliott Smith.
