Album of the Day

David Gates, Jimmy Griffin and Robb Royer joined forces as Bread to become one of the most appealing soft rock acts of the 1970s. The Los Angeles-based trio's eponymous debut saw the three multi-instrumentalists joined by a pair of session drummers (one of them being Jim Gordon), and though it only reached #127 on the chart, the Elektra collection was a clear indicator of great things to come. Gates' “Dismal Day” made a fine single and his “It Don't Matter To Me” would later become a Top 10 smash, while the Griffin-Royer partnership contributed such fine songs as “Could I” and “Friends and Lovers.” The strong material is complemented with inventive arrangements that can sound surprisingly tough to listeners who only know the band's hit ballads. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, BREAD is a terrific album any way you slice it.