Lost/Forgotten Album #334

[Jon]

As my crack staff and I sat in our expensively furnished office drinking expensive beers all while dressed in expensive clothing, we debated what would be the next logical choice for our latest series, the one about albums from artists that were released before they hit it big.

Of course we all agreed that this week's selection would be the 1969 self-titled debut from Bread. That's how a crack staff works. 

No certification for this album and the single, "Dismal Days" did not chart while the album reached #127 on the US charts. The followup album, On The Waters, was released in 1970 and reached #12 on the charts and contained the #1 single, "Make It With You". A different version of "It Don't Matter To Me" did reach #10 on the charts in 1970. Out of the six studio albums released by Bread, this is the only one that was not certified by the RIAA.

Of course when (almost) everyone thinks of Bread, they think of soft rock or, as allmusic.com notes, "wimp-pop". That may be true to an extent, but they do have some catchy tunes plus they actually CAN rock out. Just check out "Fancy Dancer" from Guitar Man.

This album is pretty mellow, buy not the kind of mellow that you have to listen to it only while wearing headphones. I say you should listen to this out in the open, probably because  most folks won't realize this is........Bread. 

What does allmusic.com think?

Bread is seen as nothing but a wimp-pop band -- an impression which is justified, but it wipes out the fact that the group was quite good and rather slyly diverse in its early days, particularly on its debut, Bread. This is effectively the birth of Californian soft rock, as David Gates and compatriots blend the folk-rock of the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield with a distinctly British melodicism and a streak of sentimentality borrowed from McCartney. The result is a modest little gem, with more strange turns than you'd expect from their reputation -- including soaring falsettos, spiraling melodies, rough guitars, and, best of all, a set of tightly-written, appealing songs. Only "It Don't Matter Me," which became a hit after the second album, ranks among their best-known material, but each of the songs illustrates the exceptional craftsmanship of not just Gates, but Robb Royer and James Griffin. As such, this may not seem like the record for casual fans, if judged just on the track listing, but it will convince the pop fans that may have been doubters.

Bread

1. Dismal Day
2. London Bridge
3. Could I
4. Look At Me
5. The Last Time
6. Any Way You Want Me
7. Move Over
8. Don't Shut Me Out
9. You Can't Measure the Cost
10. Family Doctor
11. It Don't Matter to Me
12. Friends and Lovers

 

Availability: Around $17. It's also in the Original Album Series set which includes their first five albums, but that appears to be OOP since it's running over $40 now and I got it a couple years ago for less than $10. 

[RJhog (Admin)]

Did you say "ass my crack staff"?

[Jon]

What? No, but that would have been funny. Ass crack!

[Scott]

Of course Jon's Crack Staff needs a Crack House to work out of...  My staff has uncovered this photo of that location ...

[Jon]

Scott's staff:

He probably has a cape and pointy hat as well.

[Scott]

I thought your crack staff decided to do a series on linked albums, but no, they're all over the place, cant stay focused...  I guess a staff on crack does that.  So now were likely facing another two-post-series? hmmm, that's some crack staff...

But lets move on and get super-cereal...  My seester liked this band but my brother called them wimpy so sided with my brother but then I married a Bread fan, seems the chicks dig these kinds of tunes.  So what's a guy to do but comply?

Definitely easy-listening and definitely lost, It Don't Matter To me is the only familiar track and therefore the logical choice for the RED track which it is..  Anyway You Want Me is pretty gosh-darn good to, I couldn't argue with anyone wanting that to be the RED track.  Though listening to this does make me want to hear Guitar Man again and maybe that other movie theme song he wrote which is pretty goll-darn good to...

Truly a fine post no matter how you slice (or smoke it since that's the metaphor your staff would understand)

PS: Your crack staff left off track 4, good thing somebody was lucid enough to get the player right

[Jon]

Stupid fargin' intern!!!!!!

Yeah, he's been taken care of....wait. HE'S STEALING OUR OFFICE PLANT!!!!! AND OUR ONE PAIR OF SCISSORS!!!!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Quite the interesting pick this week.  The only Bread I own is a greatest hits disc.  But I've always been a fan of David Gates' voice.  Goodbye Girl is great, although it's a solo tune, not a Bread tune.

The opener is exactly what I would expect.  I have heard it, probably on the greatest hits disc.  The rhythm guitar playing on that song is nice. 

Could I is quite different.  Definitely not something I'd expect.

The song Look At Me is very nice mellow rock.  Should've been a hit.

The Last Time is basically acoustic, but it's fairly heavy for this band.  Nice.

The album pretty much just meanders along from here, with the next track that catches my attention being You Can't Measure The Cost.  It's a pace changer, with the slow part being quite striking.  Nice song here.

It Don't Matter To Me is also on the greatest hits disc, I'm pretty sure.  

So, you know, it's a decent listen.  I sort of compare Bread with America.  A very similar style of soft rock music, but I'll give the edge to America.  Still, this is okay stuff.