On The Waters - BREAD****

Why Do You Keep Me Waiting/Make It With You/Blue Satin Pillow/Look What You've Done/I Am That I Am/Been Too Long On The Road/I Want You With Me/Coming Apart/Easy Love/In The Afterglow/Call On Me/The Other Side Of Life

On The Waters was the follow up album from soft rock group Bread which heralded the start of their commercial success which would continue through the first half of the seventies. Includes the US No. 1 hit single Make It With You, which was also a top five hit in the UK. (US:12 UK:34)

"By the time Bread released their second album in 1970, they had morphed into a four member band and somehow left behind the few psychedelic touches that adorned their wonderful debut released the previous year. In fact, contrary to its predecessor, On The Waters sounds more like an album anchored in the nascent 1970s than in the 1960s."

"Although it's bogged down a bit by some filler, the strong songs keep you coming back for more of that soft rock magic that is Bread."

"Another fine album from Bread at the height of their powers. Here we have gorgeous harmonies, beautiful production and that elusive effortless quality they specialised in. Make It With You is the biggie but Look What You’ve Done is great too. All of Bread's early albums are worth checking out for lovers of melodic pop and this is no exception."

"I have all the Bread albums, and this is one of the best. David Gates (the lead singer) does an excellent job on most of the songs, and the backup vocals are very good. The instrumental background is adequate (you are paying for the vocals, mostly), and I especially like Easy Love and I Want You With Me. If you haven't sampled Bread, this is a good choice."

"Much too often a band like Bread will be categorized and misplaced by casual listeners (or non fans). Those who only know them from the radio will think of them as a soft rock or ballad band, and fail to understand that there is a certain depth to their music that doesn't always get a chance to show itself. Bread were miscast as a soft rock group because of the type of songs chosen by the label for release as singles back when 45s were the big thing. This has long been my favourite Bread album and deserves a deeper look. No doubt many people bought it because it contains Make It With You, which is in itself a fine song and deserving of the success it achieved, but there is so much more to On The Waters than that."