Bread & Circus is the debut album by American alternative rock band Toad the Wet Sprocket, originally self-released on cassette in 1988, and re-released in 1989 by Columbia Records.[6]
| Bread & Circus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 26, 1989 (Columbia Re-Issue) | |||
| Recorded | May 12 to September 8, 1988 at Camp David in Thousand Oaks, California | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 37:49 | |||
| Label | Columbia, Abe's Records[1] | |||
| Producer | Toad the Wet Sprocket ("Coached by" Brad Nack) | |||
| Toad the Wet Sprocket chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Bread & Circus | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Chicago Tribune | [3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [5] |
In May 2009, the band announced plans to re-release Bread & Circus, out of print since 2001, in a remastered edition with expanded artwork and unreleased tracks culled from the album sessions. In 2010, the band signed a deal with Primary Wave to handle their back catalog and licensing. The reissues had been confirmed by lead singer Glen Phillips via Toad's "Fan Questions" portion of their official website for release in 2011, but never occurred.[citation needed]
Production
editThe album was recorded over eight days for a total cost of $650.[6] Singer Glen Phillips wrote most of the lyrics when he was only 15 years old. Before agreeing to sign with Columbia, the band insisted that the label re-release the album in unchanged form.[7]
Critical reception
editTrouser Press called the band "initially an R.E.M. clone: a little jangle in the guitars, some nice harmonies and not much else."[1] The Chicago Tribune wrote that the band "lacks R.E.M.'s melodic sense, evocative imagery and adrenaline."[3]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Toad the Wet Sprocket
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Way Away" | 3:07 |
| 2. | "Scenes from a Vinyl Recliner" | 4:11 |
| 3. | "Unquiet" | 2:54 |
| 4. | "Humble/Know Me" | 5:13 |
| 5. | "When We Recovered" | 2:52 |
| 6. | "One Wind Blows" | 3:26 |
| 7. | "Pale Blue" | 3:21 |
| 8. | "Always Changing Probably" | 4:48 |
| 9. | "One Little Girl" | 3:25 |
| 10. | "Covered in Roses" | 4:25 |
Personnel
edit- Glen Phillips – vocals, guitar
- Todd Nichols – guitar, producer
- Randy Guss – drums, producer
- Dean Dinning – bass, vocals (background), Producer
- Brian Gardner – Mastering
- Brad Nack – Artwork, Coach, Cover Art
- Pete Tangen – Photography
- Toad the Wet Sprocket – producer
- David Vaught – engineer, mixing
Charts
editSingles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "One Little Girl" | Modern Rock Tracks | 24[8] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Toad the Wet Sprocket". Trouser Press. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "Bread and Circus - Toad the Wet Sprocket | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b Caro, Mark. "Toad the Wet SprocketBread and Circus (Columbia)..." chicagotribune.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 196.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1153.
- ^ a b "Toad the Wet Sprocket | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ "Music history comes full circle for Glen Phillips and Toad The Wet Sprocket". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
- ^ "Toad the Wet Sprocket". Billboard.