Boy, did this record surprise me! Released in the dead of the ‘90s when “classic rock” was a dirty word and no one gave a damn about Frampton, along he came with a record that ended up becoming one of his most mature and exciting releases.
Coming off a five-year layover since his last release, Frampton clearly had time to recharge his batteries and step away from the overproduction and bombast of his ‘80s discs and get back to being a singer/songwriter and one hell of a guitarist. “You” is one of his most endearing tracks and his vocals here are so pure and simple that they elevate the song to a higher place than it previously would’ve been. The bluesy power of “It All Comes Down to You” really shows off how great of a songwriter Frampton really is. Forget crap like “I’m In You” and “Do You Feel Like We Do”– this is the real Frampton here.
His playing on “Can’t Take That Away” is really something but alas, in 1994, no one cared about how great a guitarist Frampton really is. Co-written with Jonathan Cain of Journey, this track finds Frampton really becoming autobiographical, taking a look at his life and going on a journey of searching that is awe inspiring for the listener to hear. “Day In The Sun” could’ve been on the radio alongside that crappy Boston record from the same year and would’ve blown Tom Scholz away.
Asides from a failed Frampton Comes Alive II in 1995, this would be Frampton’s only release until at least 2003, and it’s a shame because he was capable of showing that there was still some usefulness left in him. Take one listen to the barnstorming instrumental “Off The Hook” and one can see he could still play as well as anyone currently on the radio in 1994.
There’s still a bit of saccharine on the track “Waiting For Your Love,” but that can be overlooked in favor of the better material on this disc, like the shocking “Out Of The Blue,” which features the last recorded work of Frampton’s former bandmate Steve Marriott before his tragic death in a house fire. The two former members of Humble Pie still sound great together and ‘tis a shame they never got the chance to fully reunite and pursue a future together.
All in all, even though this record never got a fair shake and was immediately thrown to the cutout bin, it deserves to be heard by the people who are looking for that great elusive guitarist. Turns out he was right here the whole time.
