- David Gates - vocals, guitar

- Bread

Genre: pop

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Never Let Her Go

Company: Elektra

Catalog: 7E-1028

Year: 1975

Country/State: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: original inner sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4613

Price: $8.00

Cost: $66.001

I'll readily admit that I find David Gates to be a fascinating, yet thoroughly frustrating musician.  He's an exceptionally gifted musician with a knack fro crafting commercial pop that most writers would probably kill their parents to possess.  Unfortunately, he's more than content to waste those talents on formulaic top-40ish ballads.

Co-produced with fellow Bread alumnus Larry Knechtel, 1975's "Never Let Her Go" could easily pass for a Bread album.  Unfortunately, most of it simply serves to underscore Gates immense waste of talent.  Showcasing ten Gates-penned originals, exemplified by material such as 'Watch Out', 'Someday' and '' more than half of the selections were syrupy-sweet ballads.  Individually virtually every one of the ten tracks had a certain charm, but stacked up back to back it quickly gets cloying.  On the plus side, the emphasis on ballads makes exceptions such as 'Angel', 'Chain Me' and 'Light of My Life' all the more enjoyable.  Best of the lot was the rocker 'Greener Days'.  Makes me wish the man had cut a true rock album ...   Elsewhere Elektra tapped the title track b/w 'Watch Out'' as a top-40 single (Elektra catalog number 45223).

"Never Let Her Go" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Never Let Her Go   (David Gates) - 

2.) Angel   (David Gates) - 

3.) Playin' On My Guitar   (David Gates) - 

4.) Watch Out   (David Gates) - 

5.) Part Time Love   (David Gates) - 

(side 2)
1.) Chain Me   (David Gates) - 

2.) Light of My Life   (David Gates) - 

3.) Someday   (David Gates) - 

4.) Greener Days   (David Gates) - 

5.) Strangers   (David Gates) -