AMARYLLIS

Third album, but recorded at the same time as its predecessor, partially out of fear for not getting a third shot (some among Decca's executives were against BL&D), and the tought of making a double album (but this was simply to ISB copycat), Amaryllis came out a few months after their second, but benefiting from the guest musician (including Pentangle's Danny Thompson, whom acted as a full-time member), Amaryllis also benefiting from a splendid psychedelic artwork, even if quite different than its predecessor Captain Shanon.

Impressively starting out on the remarkable intro (2'20") of the sidelong title track's first movement, Out Of The Darkness, where Pentangle's Thompson and Cox work great wonders and the feeling becomes Spanish (almost Flamenco by the guitar) once the descending spiral is through, then McNiven's voice and usual ISB-like acid folk take over. The second movement the 10-mins+ Zoroaster's Prophecy starts rather well too, but its second section is hampered by a stupid idea: a Jewish harp should never be used elsewhere than solo on a cowboy campfire, but later on there is an excellent passage where McNiven and Rew work a bit like the Airplane's Balin and Slick. The closing third movement called Light is a bit dwarfed by the other two movement.

The flipside is made of four unrelated songs of which Rew's Brother John is easily the better track, even if the other three are of a honest ISB niveau errrrr... LB&D level.

Although a good acid folk album, Amaryllis suffers from the usual rare record syndrome (it was with Leafhound's sole album the smallest amount of record pressed - or distributed before destroyed - by a major company), it contaminated of the Quality Ultra Rare Exaggeration Vinyl Syndrome (sounds painful, right??), but thankfully to the Cd's existence, this is only in rare occasions harmful to the wallet as it once was during vinyl-only days. I wouldn't call anything by BL&D anywhere close to essential (especially if we're talking about progressive folk), but if you're a fan of the acid-folk genre, no doubt this will take on more interest.

Bread Love & Dreams recorded their most memorable album ‘Amaryllis’ for Decca at the same time they put together ‘Strange Tale of Captain Shannon and the Hunchback from Gigha’, and with the same lineup that included Danny Thompson and Terry Cox of the Pentangle, but without the lovely voice of Carolyn Davis who had left after the group’s debut release. The late Allan Trajan also appears on keyboards, bur frankly his contributions pale in comparison to the depth and breadth Thompson and Cox bring to the band; were it not for Angela Rew’s vocal harmonies (limited in range but rich in tone), this could pass for a cheap knockoff of the Incredible String Band or even a folksier version of the Pentangle itself.

Clearly the highlight of the record is the sidelong title track, the three parts of the tale separated not only by lyrics but style as well. The opening “Out of the Darkness into the Light” will please fans of acoustic, heavily instrumental folk, while the middle “Zoroaster's Prophecy” covers a variety of tones and styles including a few the music could have done without (Jew’s harp, an awkward percussive section that fades out abruptly). The closing stanza “Light” puts forth the best of the duo McNiven and Rew – delicate harmonizing vocals, gentle acoustic guitar fingering and naïve acid folk lyrics. The length and ambition of this opus deserve acknowledgement, but I for one would have been just as happy had “Zoroaster's Prophecy” been separated or left out altogether.

The back side of the record features four unrelated singles, each just as unsophisticated, clear and undiluted as anything on the band’s debut album. Rew and McNiven dominate on all these, and Trajan comes out of his shell a bit, especially on the sad and bucolic song of love and loss “Time’s the Thief”.

“My Stair-Cupboard at 3 A.M.” could just as easily been released in 1973 or even 1974, an almost West Coast pop folk tune with an easy gait and only about as deep as roots in the desert. I wonder if the group was looking for radio play with this one.

Rew offers up the almost completely acoustic “Brother John” on which McNiven takes up the backing vocal role, and the album closes with McNiven’s “Circle of Night” that threatens to break out in a vocal round at any moment (but never actually does).

I don’t really know the whole story of this band, but I know they didn’t last much past this record’s recording; in fact, I’m not even sure they still existed by the time it released in mid 1971. But at least they left a legacy of decent, if not essential acid folk. One of the b-league folk groups of the early seventies, Bread Love & Dreams nevertheless is a band worth hearing if you have any interest in this genre. Three stars solid, but definitely not four. Recommended, especially if you can find the Sunbeam CD reissue at a decent price.

peace

Bread Love and Dreams third (and last) CD was recorded together with their second (it was supposed to be a double album, but the recording company vetoed that idea), and released a few months after that one. However, it is quite different and it is also their best. Not that I think it is a masterpiece of sorts. It is very nice, ok, it has some good moments, but really, this band is not an obscure outfit from the 70´s for nothing. Their sound is quite common place and it came a little too late to catch the last musical fashion of its day. I guess they would be a lot more known if they had appeared in the mid 60´s. Also I really don´t understand those comparisons to The Incredible String Band, except fro the fact that they are both scotish. I see nothing of their spaced out, freakish acid folk on Bread Love and Dreams. BLD was a much more average folk rock essemble.

But to the album itself: nice stuff. The 21 minute epic title track is obviously regarded as the highlight here and it is interesting, although I see it more as 3 distinctive tracks put together than as a whole piece. It has its moments though and the final part has some very good vocal harmnies between David McNiven and Angie Rew. Besides, the band gets quite a kick from The Pentagle´s rhtyhm section fo Danny Thompson (acoustic bass) and Terry Cox (drums). Both do enhance a lot Mcniven and Rew´s stuff (Thompson in particular is in fine form). Alan Trajan´s keyboards work however is seldom heard here. Personally I liked side two better. It does have a nice selection of independent short songs. Not surprisingly they remind me of a less elaborated version of The Pentangle. The first three songs are among their best ever. Production is excellent: my CD has a very clean sound.

Conclusion: Although I can´t cite Bread Love And Dreams as one of my top ten favorite prog folk bands, I liked this album. They might not have brought anything new to the folk scene, and they may have come a little too late, but their work is worth checking out for those who, like me, like some nice, melodic and well performed folk rock . Rating: 3 stars. Good, but non-essential.