It’s not much of a stretch to say that rock ‘n’ roll masculinity is pretty much based on sex. A lot of rock band frontmen cultivate an image and a sound that solely aims to prove that they could show you a good time and that they’ve got a big dick.

Sure, this takes different forms. After all, the hip-swinging Elvis gave way within a few decades to the androgyny and high-camp of glam. But even when David Bowie or Marc Bolan flirted with different genders and sexualities, you were never in doubt that they were highly sexual. The only questions were how and with whom they would be doing the nasty.

Hence the extreme anti-sexual current to post-punk and hardcore music makes some sense as a reaction to the overt horniness of 70s music. At the heavier end of things, Minor Threat’s Ian Mackaye and the “straight-edge” set railed against promiscuity. However, even then there was an almost sexual dimension to hardcore’s muscular aggression and some bands took things further by developing a studied naivety—acting as if they weren’t quite sure what this ‘sex’ thing was and even less sure whether they liked the idea.

Interestingly enough, this kind of childishness can provoke a stronger negative response than the often nasty misogynistic sexuality we see elsewhere. The general community feeling is that people should want sex and anyone who professes otherwise is immediately suspect.

Of course, there will always be boys and girls who don’t fit with the broader culture’s in-your-face raunch and, consequently, there will always be artists that cater to this alienation. It’s not clear how much of the coyness is genuine and how much is a political statement, or even a clever ploy at getting into sensitive girls’ pants. But it’s interesting to observe the trends and artists that take this approach.

Few bands have been more studied in their childishness than The Boy Least Likely To. The British two-piece’s debut album was called The Best Party Ever and was filled with childish monsters and symbols as representations for the difficulties of adulthood. Single “Be Gentle With Me” is romantic, but awfully wimpy. It’s impossible to imagine many male singers putting themselves in the prone, vulnerable position Jof Owen takes in this story.

Swedish twee popster Jens Lekman’s musical persona is equally ineffectual and awkward. The narrator of “Black Cab” complains of his tendency to ruin parties and worries about the dangerous driving habits of cabbies. Unlike the plethora of Death Metal dudes that come out of his home town of Gothenburg, Jens isn’t the kind of guy you can see winning a fist-fight or stealing your girl. Although, he just might—the number of girls I know who swoon when they hear Jens ruing his failures and inadequacies is truly astounding.

The long-term success of bands like Belle and Sebastian, and the rise of upstarts like Jens and The Boy Least Likely To, suggests there’s definitely a market for this kind of music. In fact, twee music has entered something of a renaissance in recent years. Maybe the girly men are having the last laugh.

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