Frampton (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Frampton
Type = Album
Artist = Peter Frampton


Released = July 31, 1975
Recorded = October 1974 - February 1975, Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, London;
Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio, Gloucestershire;
Stargroves, East End, Newbury;
Steve Marriott's Clear Sounds Home Studio, Essex;
Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow;
A & R Recording, Inc., New York City
Genre = Rock
Length = 37:16
Label = A&M
Producer = Peter Frampton
Chris Kimsey
Ronnie Lane
Andy Knight
Steve Marriott
Phil Ramone
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:65rz284c058a link]
*"Rolling Stone" (not rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/peterframpton/albums/188738/review/5942598/frampton link]
First album = "Frampton's Camel"
(1973)
Last album = "Somethin's Happening"
(1974)
This album = "Frampton"
(1975)
Next album = "Frampton Comes Alive!"
(1976)

"Frampton" is a studio album by Peter Frampton before he went on tour to record "Frampton Comes Alive!" The most recognizable songs from the album are "Show Me the Way" and "Baby, I Love Your Way" which were later recorded on "Frampton Comes Alive!" which became number one hit singles in 1976. This was Frampton's first RIAA Gold Record, peaking at #32 on the Billboard 200.

Background

Frampton exited Humble Pie because that group fell into a loud, hard rock groove that overwhelmed the technical skills he'd spent years working on as a guitarist; he poured a lot of that into this highly melodic mid-tempo rock album.

Frampton band actually had gone through some changes, when Keyboard and rhythm guitar player Andy Brown had decide leave the group after a year, and once again focus on his solo career, and bassist Rick Wills had decided to leave the group during touring to spend more time with his family, and his new baby.

The whole album took three weeks to write, finally in October 1974, Frampton had recorded in a rented a castle in Gloucestershire, with Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio parked outside, provided the most satisfying framework yet for the artist's writing and playing skills.

As a guitarist Frampton puts the likes of Eric Clapton and Ritchie Blackmore in their proper perspective with playing as distinctive and versatile (in both technical and emotive terms) as anything Joe Pass and Herb Ellis might concoct were they to sashay into the English rock idiom. A master musician, he's capable of composing in a wide range of styles and being equally at home with them both instrumentally and vocally. He sings with a sense of innocence that goes a long way toward combating the lyrics.

His knack for elevating his unpretentious compositions with sensitive, imaginative memorable acoustic and electric guitar textures , also vocal and instrumental, spun out over a great beat and some excruciatingly hooks was apparent on the lilting "The Crying Clown, and the acoustic instrumental "Penny For Your Thoughts", while those desiring tunes a bit more in the mainstream of English pop can bask in the glories of "Nowhere's Too Far (For My Baby)" and "Day's Dawning" offered prime slices of melodic arena rock, and most of the rest, although apart from the two hits, the playing and singing is often better than the songs themselves.

The biggest hits on this album, those were the days before it saturated the airwaves original studio versions of his future live hits from Frampton Comes Alive!, which are "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Show Me the Way" was just a nice as the live versions, were written quickly before lunch and tea on the same day as the sun was setting, while at Steve Marriott's vacation home in Nassau.

Frampton live work did much to enhance his reputation as a solo artist, and eventually the hard work paid off with the release in 1975 of Frampton, which gave the world a taste of what the world has yet to come.

This prevents the Frampton album from being a true classic, but it is one of the better albums from its all-too-mellow era. The Frampton album went to #32 on the Pop Album, and Billboards Top 200 charts, also became his first solo album to go Gold in the U.S. setting the stage for the blockbuster success of his 1976 double live LP Frampton Comes Alive!.

Track listing

# "Day's Dawning" – 3:55
# "Show Me the Way" – 4:02
# "One More Time" – 3:19
# "The Crying Clown" – 4:03
# "Fanfare" – 3:28
# "Nowhere's Too Far (for My Baby) – 4:18
# "Nassau" – 1:07
# "Baby, I Love Your Way" – 4:42
# "Apple of Your Eye" – 3:41
# "Penny for Your Thoughts" – 1:27
# "(I'll Give You) Money" – 4:34All songs written by Peter Frampton.

Personnel

*Peter Frampton - bass guitar, double bass, electric guitar, guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, organ, keyboards, vocals, talkbox
*Bob Mayo - piano, electric piano, organ, Hammond organ, Hammond B-3, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, melodica, ARP String Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, accordion, keyboards, guitar, vocals
*Stanley Sheldon - bass guitar, double bass
*John Siomos - drums, percussion, vibes

Additional personnel

*Andy Bown - bass guitar, double bass, piano, electric piano, organ, Hammond organ, Hammond B-3, synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, melodica, ARP String Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, accordion, keyboards, guitar, vocals
*Ronnie Lane - bass guitar, double bass, guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, vocals
*Steve Marriott - bass guitar, double bass, guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, vocals
*Poli Palmer - drums, percussion, vibes

Production

*Producer: Peter Frampton, Chris Kimsey, Ronnie Lane, Andy Knight, Steve Marriott, Phil Ramone
*Engineer: Chris Kimsey, Andy Knight, Bernard Yates, Sue Yates
*Mixing: George Marino, Doug Sax, Arnie Acosta
*Mastering: George Marino, Doug Sax, Arnie Acosta
*Art Direction: Vartan, Roland Young, Junie Osaki
*Photography: Mike Zagaris
*Supervisor: Beth Stempel, Bill Levenson
*Coordatior: Beth Stempel, Bill Levenson
*Management: Dee Anthony

Charts

Album