Manna (album)

{{Infobox album

| name = Manna

| type = Album

| artist = Bread

| cover = Bread_-_manna_%281971%29.jpg

| alt =

| released = March 1971

| recorded = 1971

| venue =

| studio = Sound Recorders, Hollywood

| genre = Rock

| length = 36:07

| label = Elektra, re-released on Rhino in 1995

| producer = Bread

| prev_title = On the Waters

| prev_year = 1970

| next_title = Baby I'm-a Want You

| next_year = 1972

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Manna

| type = studio

| single1 = Let Your Love Go

| single1date = 1971

| single2 = If

| single2date = March 21, 1971

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}} {{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/manna-mw0000691071|title=Bread: Manna|author=Thomas Erlewine, Stephen|publisher=Allmusic|website=allmusic.com}}

| rev2 = Rolling Stone

| rev2Score = (not rated) {{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bread/albums/album/232346/review/5943973/manna|title=Bread: Manna|author=Bangs, Lester|publisher=Rolling Stone|access-date=2021-06-22|archive-date=2008-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014035407/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bread/albums/album/232346/review/5943973/manna|url-status=dead}}

}}

Manna is the third studio album by American soft rock band Bread, released in 1971 on Elektra Records.

The album peaked at No. 21 on the US Billboard 200. Manna has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.{{cite AV media notes |title=Manna|author=Bread|year=1971|type=album|publisher=Elektra Records}}{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Bread&ti=Manna&format=Album&type=#search_section|title=Bread - Manna|publisher=RIAA|access-date=April 8, 2025}}

Critical reception

Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone declared, "The new one offers no surprises. One nice thing about Bread is that they're totally professional, and as Mellow as most of the music is these days, they never cop out to sheer sloppiness...They've got standards and they sing with feeling, and maybe that's enough right now."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave a 4.5/5 stars rating saying, "Bread's third album, Manna, isn't so much a step forward as it is a consolidation of strengths, as the group sharpens their skills and carves out their own identities...it results in a fine listen, especially since the group's songwriting remains at the high standard instituted on that first Bread album."

Singles

The singles "Let Your Love Go" and "If" were released from this album. Record World said "Let Your Love Go" has a "heavier sound than usual from [the] group."{{cite magazine|title=Picks of the Week|magazine=Record World|date=January 2, 1971|page=1|accessdate=2023-04-22|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/71/RR-1971-01-02.pdf}} Cash Box said that it "brings a new strength to the act's vocal sound, rumpling a bit of the letter-perfect smoothness of their first two hits."{{cite magazine|title=CashBox Singles Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|date=December 26, 1970|page=90|accessdate=2023-04-23|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-12-26.pdf}}

Track listing

;Side one

"Let Your Love Go" (David Gates) – 2:25
"Take Comfort" (James Griffin, Robb Royer) – 3:33
"Too Much Love" (Griffin, Royer) – 2:46
"If" (Gates) – 2:36
"Be Kind to Me" (Griffin, Royer) – 3:04
"He's a Good Lad" (Gates) – 2:59

;Side two

"She Was My Lady" (Gates) – 2:51
"Live in Your Love" (Griffin, Royer) – 2:46
"What a Change" (Gates) – 3:40
"I Say Again" (Griffin, Royer) – 2:52
"Come Again" (Gates) – 4:03
"Truckin'" (Griffin, Royer) – 2:32

Personnel

David Gates - vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, harmonica, violin, bass
James Griffin - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Robb Royer - guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Mike Botts - drums, percussion

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1971) !Position
align="left"\|Canadian RPM Albums Chart{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5382&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=svcn9l0k61q3vjfucibefndnc0\|title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 15, No. 11\|magazine=RPM\|format=PHP\|date=1971-05-01\|accessdate=2014-04-02\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080442/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5382&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=svcn9l0k61q3vjfucibefndnc0\|archive-date=2014-04-29\|url-status=dead}} \|16
align="left"\|U.S. Billboard 200{{cite web\|title=Bread\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bread/\|publisher=Billboard\|access-date=April 8, 2025}} \|21

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

Chart (1971)

!Position

align="left"|Canadian RPM Albums Chart{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5382&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=svcn9l0k61q3vjfucibefndnc0|title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 15, No. 11|magazine=RPM|format=PHP|date=1971-05-01|accessdate=2014-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429080442/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5382&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=svcn9l0k61q3vjfucibefndnc0|archive-date=2014-04-29|url-status=dead}}

|16

align="left"|U.S. Billboard 200{{cite web|title=Bread|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bread/|publisher=Billboard|access-date=April 8, 2025}}

|21