PETER FRAMPTON Breaking All The Rules
Lemon CDLEM72 (42:19) (2005)
If ever there was a Frampton album deserving of CD treatment, it is this one; it’s actually a wonder how this one wasn’t packaged properly earlier.
After the success of Frampton Comes Alive, Peter’s career waned in the late 70s, making this 1981 release badly timed, grossly underrated and criminally underrated. If it had followed the live set his career would have been totally different, for it is his strongest studio set by far.
Featuring the talents of guitarist Steve Lukather and drummer Jeff Porcaro (both Toto), pianist Arthur Stead and bassist John Regan (Ace Frehley Band), the use of two guitarists is a real bonus. Openers Dig What I Say and I Don’t Wanna Let You Go are at the heavy end of the Frampton spectrum, while the title track (also a single) is seven minutes of pure pleasure. Some gentler moments mix well, as does the great cover of Friday On My Mind.
Musicianship, songwriting, recording and production are solid throughout, so minimum remastering required for this format. An excellent album long overdue on CD, let down as usual by occasionally irrelevant sleevenotes (photos of Frampton 15 years’ previous), an incomplete and out of date discography and lack of extra tracks, rare single b-sides etc.
Lemon are setting a trend for issuing great albums with far from complete packaging.
****
Review by Joe Geesin
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