David Gates got all the attention, but James Griffin stood proudly as his cohort during the early days of Bread. Once Bread crumbled, Gates also had hits but Griffin didn’t, despite developing a strong body of work that finally gets anthologized via Hux’s 2013 compilation, Just Like Yesterday: The Solo Anthology 1974-77. During these four years, Griffin released just two albums—1974’s Breakin’ Up Is Easy and 1977’s eponymous LP—and both records are here, along with the bonus tracks of “Just Like Yesterday” and “She Knows,” the latter coming from a May 1974 performance on the Old Grey Whistle Test. Compared to Gates, Griffin isn’t quite as buttery: his voice is fine-grain sandpaper and he is sometimes happy enough to skirt the boundaries of soft rock, particularly on his 1974 debut.

Two classic easy-listening albums by Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra, originally released in 1969 on the Philips label, together on one CD and remastered from the original analogue stereo tapes for Vocalion's trademark crystal-clear sound. French composer/conductor Paul Mauriat is a classically trained musician who decided to pursue a career in popular music. His first major success came in 1962, as a co-writer of the European hit "Chariot." In 1963, the song was given English lyrics, renamed "I Will Follow Him," and became a number one American hit for Little Peggy March. Mauriat is best remembered for his 1968 worldwide smash "Love Is Blue."

Originally finding fame with The McCoys, Rick Derringer worked with both Johnny and Edgar Winter, as well as Steely Dan, before going solo in 1973 for All American Boy. Co-produced with Bill Szymczyk, who would later produce the Eagles, All American Boy features guest appearances from Joe Walsh, Suzi Quatro and Edgar Winter, and features his best known hit, 'Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo'. The album also features 'Hold', a song co-written with a then relatively unknown Patti Smith. The bonus tracks include mono single versions of 'Rock 'n' Roll Hoochie Koo' and 'Teenage Love Affair'. Produced by Rick himself, Spring Fever followed in 1975, and includes a revisit to the McCoys' 'Hang On Sloopy', as well as the Rufus Thomas classic, 'Walkin' The Dog'.