If you were at least a preteen in 1976, you were around for the Frampton phenomenon. Peter Frampton, the man with the mellow guitar solos, shaggy curls and engaging stage prescence, released a two-disc concert album, Frampton Comes Alive. The album claimed the No. 1 slot for 10 weeks and went on to sell a record setting (for live albums) 16 million copies worldwide. Peter Frampton was the symbol of seventies feel good rock. By 1977 Frampton's career had begun its downward slide through a series of bad albums, legal hassles, an embarrassing role in the Bee Gees' Sgt. Pepper film and a car accident. Last year's self-titled album received a lukewarm if not cool reception. Frampton tries for semi- annual albums so here is this year's comeback attempt, Frampton Comes Alive II. If the same title and city (San Francisco) can make some magic, Frampton has chosen well. But this reflection of the past is also seen on the album tracks. Many of the tracks are retreads from previous albums with some new songs inserted here and there as you might expect at a live performance.
The artist of the best selling live album of all time might be expected to let the comeback climb go and retire to his native England. Given Frampton's past, that's unlikely. He is a working musician who played in his first band at the age of 10. At 16 he was guitarist/vocalist in The Herd which scored some British hits. In 1969 he formed Humble Pie with ex-Small Faces guitarist/vocalist Steve Marriott. Humble Pie stayed together through five albums, and in 1971 Frampton went solo releasing four albums prior to Frampton Comes Alive. Three singles hit the Top 40, the album went multi-platinum and Frampton became an international star. Time went on and Frampton tried harder to repeat his success but as he says, he tried to write what would sell instead of what he felt. He has sad memories of being the butt of a Frank Zappa cover of "I'm In You", the ridicule received from Sgt. Pepper, and the gentle ribbing of his album in the comedy Wayne's World. Frampton won't waste energy on the bad times - he's too busy fighting his way back. When David Bowie offered him the lead guitar position on the Glass Spider tour, Frampton grabbed it as a chance to show he is a serious musician. Then came the release of albums and the club tours. At this point, he has released another eight albums since Frampton Comes Alive and plays clubs as well as ampitheaters. Frampton at 43 has a stronger, older voice and the preceding twenty years have only honed his guitar playing. He knows about making a live album sound great - audience noise limited, his own patter clear as a bell and the music perfectly in balance. Although it's hard to make a megahit out of what is basically a remade seventies album, Frampton's fans will love this one as will followers of classic rock and easy listening. To others the album may seem dated and dull. For example, Frampton makes use of the trademark voice-box throughout almost an entire track which really is annoying. A tour is being set up and Frampton is at his best live, which is clearly the way to hear these songs. Skip the concert t-shirt and buy yourself the album.
