This is the first album from Bread, Love and Dreams, released in 1969 against the background of a major revival in the popularity of folk music that had grown via the folk clubs and college campus across much of the county during the previous few years.
This upsurge in popularity reached its peak with the release of a glut of seminal releases from bands like them who all stretched the scope of what was a fairly narrow and traditional style of music into the realms of Acid-Folk, Folk Rock and of course more traditional Folk styles. That year saw Liege and Lief from Fairport Convention, and the third and fourth Incredible String Bands albums to name just two.
Bread Love and Dreams were originally from Edinburgh where their psyche influenced folk compositions were in stark contrast to the more traditional approach of many of their Scottish contemporaries. They first came to the attention of Decca producer Ray Horricks at the 1968 festival and he quickly brought them to recording studios in London to record their debut release the following year. They released three albums between 1969 and 1971 with a varied line up from album to album and on later releases featuring well known guests from the burgeoning folk circuit like Danny Thompson and Terry Cox of Pentangle.
The main members of the band on this first LP were David McNiven, who wrote and sang much of their material, Angie Rew, on vocals and playing the flute and Carolyn Davis on guitar.
This album has been compared with a number of groups from that period especially of tracks like 'Falling Over Backwards' which to some critics at the time reminded them of the ISB. Others praised Bread Love and Dreams for distinctive sound, linked no doubt to their combined talents and abilities as multi instrumentalists.
This album features some really nice ethereal female lead and backing vocals, which was very much the accepted style of the time, but it also features strong lyrics from David which keep the listeners interest and today provide an interesting reflection on the fairly left-wing anti establishment, at the time 'hippie', stance of much of the bands output.
But its not all folk whimsy as the last track here is much more blues than folk and contrasts with much of the rest of the album. While the band toured widely, with Magna Carta and even Tyranosaurus Rex, but they never really achieved the success they deserved with this album, or the two others that followed, and this is reflected in the considerable value now placed on original copies of all three of their releases. David and Angie continued to tour and work in theatre projects and became involved with the rock band Mama Flier, also from Edinburgh and they continue to perform.
by Ian Milton 2012
Tracks
1. Switch Out The Sun - 3:22
2. Virgin Kiss - 3:43
3. The Least Said - 3:44
4. Falling Over Backwards - 5:44
5. Lady Of The Night - 3:14
6. Main Street - 2:16
7. Artificial Light (Of All The Living Lies) (Andy Badale, Estelle Levitt) - 3:39
8. Until She Needs You - 3:43
9. Mirrors - 5:34
10.Poet's Song - 2:53
11.The Yellow-Bellied Redback - 2:17
12.95 Octane Gravy - 3:22
All compositions by David McNiven, Angie Rew, Carolyn Davis except track #7
Bread Love And Dreams
*David McNiven - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Flute, Harmonica
*Angie Rew - Vocals, Guitar, Organ, African Drums
*Carolyn Davis - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Tambourine, Buzz-Horn
With
*Ian Green - Strings Conductor
