Bread is the debut album by soft rock band Bread, released in August 1969 on Elektra Records.Billboard Album Reviews (August 9, 1969) Billboard. This album has been certified Double Platinum in Australia by the ARIA.
Overview Produced by Bread themselves, this album was recorded at Elektra Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California. It featured session drummer Jim Gordon, and was engineered by Bruce Botnick.
Critical reception Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic described the album as "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."
Track listing
Side one "Dismal Day" (Gates) – 2:21 "London Bridge" (Gates) – 2:32 "Could I" (Griffin, Royer) – 3:31 "Look at Me" (Gates) – 2:43 "The Last Time" (Griffin, Royer) – 4:10 "Any Way You Want Me" (Griffin, Royer) – 3:16
Side two "Move Over" (Griffin) – 2:36 "Don't Shut Me Out" (Gates) – 2:39 "You Can't Measure the Cost" (Gates) – 3:22 "Family Doctor" (Griffin, Royer) – 2:15 "It Don't Matter to Me" (Gates) – 2:41 "Friends and Lovers" (Griffin, Royer) – 3:54
Personnel Bread David Gates – lead vocals, guitars, bass, organ, piano, RMI electric piano, Moog synthesizer, violin, viola, percussion James Griffin – lead vocals, guitars, percussion Robb Royer – backing vocals, guitar, bass, RMI electric piano, piano, flute, recorder, percussion
Additional personnel Jim Gordon – drums Ron Edgar – drums (demos)
Production Producer: Bread Engineer: Bruce Botnick Production supervisor: Jac Holzman Art direction: William S. Harvey, Coco Shinomiya Cover art concept: William S. Harvey Cover art: Abe Gurvin Design: Bryan Rackleff Photography: Ed Caraeff Liner Notes: Barry Alfonso
Charts Chart (1969)PositionUS Pop Albums127
Certifications
References