The Best of Bread - ELEKTRA
Artist: Bread
Community Score: 10.00

As The Best of Bread unfolds, its 12 tracks begin to tell a tale of two different types of bands. The first half dozen songs, all of which were composed by leader David Gates, are each studies in soft pop perfection. On these two- and three-minute gems, Gates crafts soaring, evocative melodies that can stand against rock's finest. And though... Read More

That's the Way It Is
Artist: Elvis Presley
Community Score: 10.00

Possibly due to the retro, irony-filled vogue for easy listening giants like Burt Bacharach and -- to a lesser extent -- roots pop figures like Glen Campbell and Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley's Vegas-era recordings have been given new life after a cruel stretch of put downs by kitsch-wary critics. The praise is not just so much posing, though,... Read More

Potlatch
Artist: Redbone

Their first of six Epic releases is a strong follow-up to the self-titled debut the same year. The album-opening "Maggie" is a perfect example of their distinctive sound, a funky, highly rhythmic itch that gets under your skin. The limitations of Lolly Vegas' singing means the all-native California quartet is more adept on faster numbers,... Read More

David Clayton-Thomas - COLUMBIA
Artist: David Clayton-Thomas

Canadian Thomas decided that enough was enough and split with Blood Sweat & Tears to go the solo route and 1972's David Clayton-Thomas is the result. Aided and abetted by wide ranges of studio help, including some of his former bandmates, much of what lies within these grooves sounds very much like his old band. It includes "Magnificent... Read More

The Very Best of Bobby Sherman - RESTLESS
Artist: Bobby Sherman

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Bobby Sherman was the teen idol parents feared the least. If they worried about their teen-agers idolizing the Beatles or the Rolling Stones--not to mention Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison--they weren't the least bit concerned when posters of Bobby Sherman turned up on bedroom walls. In fact, they probably breathed a... Read More

At Home With Their Greatest Hits
Artist: The Partridge Family

Although out of print, At Home With Their Greatest Hits (1972) was the first Partridge Family compilation and includes sides from their long-players: The Partridge Family Album (1970), Partridge Family Sound Magazine (1971), Up to Date (1971), and Partridge Family Shopping Bag (1972). This collection was issued at the height of the multimedia... Read More

Anthology
Artist: Steve Miller Band

Released in 1972, Anthology provides a 16-track summary of the Steve Miller Band's first five albums, distilling their uneven space blues into a tight, effective collection of highlights. These songs are hardly as tuneful or effortlessly catchy as the songs on 1978's Greatest Hits -- apart from "Living in the USA," "Space Cowboy," and "Going to... Read More

Ram
Artist: Paul & Linda McCartney
Community Score: 7.35

Compared to McCartney, Paul McCartney's second solo album, Ram -- which was credited as a collaboration with his wife, Linda -- is a more substantial and produced effort, yet it has much of the same homemade charm as its predecessor. Divided between simple pop/rockers and cleverly constructed mini-suites like "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" and... Read More

Abandoned Luncheonette
Artist: Hall & Oates
Community Score: 10.00

Abandoned Luncheonette, Hall & Oates' second album, was the first indication of the duo's talent for sleek, soul-inflected pop/rock. It featured the single "She's Gone," which would become a big hit in 1975 when it was re-released following the success of "Sara Smile." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More

Frampton's Camel
Artist: Peter Frampton

Named after Frampton's touring band at the time, Frampton's Camel has a harder-rocking feel than its predecessor Wind of Change, with Mick Gallagher's percussive electric piano and organ taking a prominent position in the mix and Frampton getting a harder sound from his electric guitars (though his acoustic playing is so lush and lyrical that it... Read More

Wind of Change
Artist: Peter Frampton

Peter Frampton's solo debut after leaving Humble Pie (as they stood on the brink of stardom) spotlights Frampton's well-crafted, though lyrically lightweight, songwriting and his fine guitar playing. The songs on Wind of Change are built primarily around acoustic guitar foundations, but "It's a Plain Shame" and "All I Want to Be (Is by Your... Read More

Illegal, Immoral and Fattening
Artist: Flo & Eddie

Flo & Eddie are both impressive singers and very funny comedians, and both aspects of their talent are on display here, from the pop sheen of "Rebecca" to the sidesplitting return of The Sanzini Brothers. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide Read More

These Foolish Things
Artist: Bryan Ferry

Much like his contemporary David Bowie, Ferry consolidated his glam-era success with a covers album, his first full solo effort even while Roxy Music was still going full steam. Whereas Bowie on Pin-Ups focused on British beat and psych treasures, Ferry for the most part looked to America, touching on everything from Motown to the early jazz... Read More