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Best of Bread? That's how the group started out!

CWC | Long Beach, CA | 05/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember my weekly jaunts to my favorite record store. While thumbing the record bins during the holidays in 1969, I happened on this album. I had never heard of "Bread" and actually decided to purchase it because of the band's name and the album cover design. I was pleasantly surprised with the selection of songs I found... fun, pensive, thoughtful, and a bit of rock punch. Although not a totally cohesive ensemble for a classic album concept, this vinyl got a lot of play on my ol' record player. Delving into the album and the songs that each of the three artisits, Gates, Griffin, and Royer, wrote, it is fun to piece each singer's tunes together. Each seemed to have their own individual style and creativity, but fit together very well for my tastes. Some of my favorite on the album are "Dismal Day," "London Bridge," "The Last Time," "Don't Shut Me Out," and "Friends and Lovers." Listeners will have fun, too, with the original "It Don't Matter To Me." This version has a much faster, up-beat tempo than most fans remember when it was released as a single some four years later. Critics loved the album, but for reasons I can't understand to this day, it did not sell very well... some 30,000+ albums. I have heard some reflection that this album was released the same time that Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young released their debut album. While that could be true, frankly I don't see a comparison to CSNY and Bread. Bread's initial outing was more rock-orientated and appealing to a wider audience to me while CSNY empahsised more folk-based music to me. Ultimately, the good news was that "the music didn't die" here (if I can borrow a classic line) with this first album and Bread went on to give us many more memorable songs and wonderful moments and memories."

Early and Overlooked

R. Langdon | Four Oaks, NC USA | 10/06/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is perhaps impossible to think of Bread without associating them with the laid back, syrupy ballads that made them famous. However, their first release reveals that they had a lot more to offer. In fact, while I find their "hits" to be enjoyable still after many years, this self-titled album brings more rock and blues influenced material to the front. I find this album very enjoyable overall. Fans of late 60's early 70's rock/pop should also find much to enjoy with this release. If you just like the radio hits, a best of collection might be good enough for you. But if you want more Bread that shows the true versatility of this talented group, this is one to own. The tight vocal harmonies and the style of writing that made them a household word in the 70's are there, but be prepared for much more.



- Scriptor"

This is the one!

Henry S. Kimbell | MO, USA | 04/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first Bread album is clearly the best and, at the time, the most promising. There is not one bad composition, either from a lyrical or musical perspective. These songs held lots of future excitement in the day since the lyrics and music promised a level of sophistication that, unfortunately, the band never again delivered. The remastering/recording here is very clean. Sadly, in spite of a pretty good 2nd effort with "On the Waters", Bread degenerated into a litany of trite pop tunes aimed at teenybopper audiences (witness the silliness of pop-hero worship David Gates shamelessly wraps his silky voice around on "Guitar Man" or the mushy-mouthed romantic blabber of "Baby I'm-A Want You"). Too bad, this first CD is a real gem, even today; Bread could have been much more than the gooey commercial cop-out it became. After all, there is nothing wrong with making a buck as long as your product is of value."