Bread, Love & Dreams - Bread, Love & Dreams (1969)
1969 debut, released by London in the US and Decca elsewhere, from this UK folk trio with two female vocalists. Surreal, flower-power lyrics and simple melodies are highlighted by delicate instrumentation and occasional string arrangements. The group would go on to release two further albums and band member David McNiven also helped out label mates The Human Beast by contributing lyrics to their Volume One LP.
1969 dreamy folk from the UK. every now and then I take a chance on an album i know nothing about. and of course sometimes i'm really disappointed, but often I'm pleasantly suprised and just downright thrilled. something about the cover of this record just drew me in. the first time I listened to it, I was heading uptown on a cold, quiet Sunday morning. the subway was nearly empty and had that old deserted ghost-town feel it rarely has. it was the perfect listening experience for this album. my fellow C train riders were probably a bit confused by the obnoxiously loud folk music emanating from my headphones and my watery eyes. but with the gorgeous string arrangements, the haunting female vocals, and the overall atmosphere, i was somewhere beautiful...walking alone along the ocean, on a cold, sunny morning. it was glorious.
This was a folk-rock duo augmented by some talented session musicians including Terry Cox and Danny Thompson who were in Pentangle at that time. All three albums are now collectables. On the third they were supplemented by a number of session musicians. Musically the albums comprise 'flower-power' influenced folk. They are pleasant but lacking in innovation. Amaryllis is notable for its ambitious title track which accounted for one side of the whole album.
McNiven also wrote the lyrics to Human Beast's Volume One album and has continued to record in the nineties. Carolyn Davis was later in Looking Glass.
1. Switch Out The Sun 3:21
2. Virgin Kiss 3:43
3. The Least Said 3:44
4. Falling Over Backwards 5:46
5. Lady Of The Night 3:13
6. Main Street 2:14
7. Artificial Light 3:40
8. Until She Needs You 3:43
9. Mirrors 5:34
10. Poet's Song 2:53
11. The Yellow-bellied Redback 2:16
12. 95 Octane Gravy 3:15
Bread, Love & Dreams - The Strange Tale Of Captain
Bread, Love & Dreams - The Strange Tale Of Captain Shannon And The Hunchback From Gigha (1970)
One of my all-time favorite bands of any genre period! Bread, Love and Dreams consisted of David McNiven (ex-Human Beast), Angie Rew and Carolyn Davis. Pentangle members guest on a few of their albums. If ever there was a band that brings back the magic of the flower-child generation with butterfly-like melodies and lyrics, BLD is the band. Off the wall lyrics, excellent melodies, excellent vocals (by all 3 of the members who seem to take turns singing lead vocals in different songs) and excellent musicianship. Whereas other bands get their strength by complexity of their compositions, BLD gets their strength from non-complex melodies (which are incredibly melodic, beautiful, melancholic and surreal) and very complex lyrics. I swear all three of them are also legitimate poets. All three of their albums are major classics for me and a must for anyone who likes Nick Drake, Pentangle, Fairport Convention and any other British folk (and even American folk) bands that sport a flower-child/hippie sound. Bread, Love and Dreams may be the best of the genre. The 21-minute title track from Amaryllis is a mind-blower. I need also say that all three of them play acoustic guitars and there a lot of acoustical guitar interplay as well as that cozy warm early 70's organ sound. Some of the best lyrics and melodies I have heard are contained on all three of their albums. Strongly recommended for fans of melodic folk/flower-child music. So far, they're one of the best I have heard in this genre.
This was a folk-rock duo augmented by some talented session musicians including Terry Cox and Danny Thompson who were in Pentangle at that time. All three albums are now collectables. On the third they were supplemented by a number of session musicians. Musically the albums comprise 'flower-power' influenced folk. They are pleasant but lacking in innovation. Amaryllis is notable for its ambitious title track which accounted for one side of the whole album.
Japanese official reissue of super rare UK mystical psych / progressive folk with an Incredible String Band / Magna Carta feel. Their second album from 1970, featuring backing from Pentangle's Danny Thompson and Terry Cox. Housed in a mini LP sleeve with obi strip.Great cover art.
1. Hymn For Sylvia 5:46
2. Msquerade 4:56
3. Sucking On A Cigarette 3:36
4. He Who Knows All 4:52
5. The Robster Quadrille 2:46
6. Butterflyland 5:10
7. Purple Hazy Melancholy.. 3:52
8. Sing Me A Song 2:16
9. The Strange Tale Of Captain Shannon And The Hunchback From Gigha 6:57
Bread, Love & Dreams - Amaryllis (1971)
Bread, Love & Dreams - Amaryllis (1971)
1. Amaryllis Part 1 - Out Of The Darkness And Into The Night 6:24
2. Amaryllis Part 2 - Zoroaster´s Prophecy 10:43
3. Amaryllis Part 3 - Light 4:38
4. Time's The Thief 4:40
5. My Star-Cupboard At 3 A.M. 3:29
6. Brother John 3:59
7. Circle Of The Night 3:21