Peter Frampton Band

Frampton Forgets The Words

UME …but remembers to bring his guitar.

Ordinarily, 10 instrumental versions of some pretty well-known songs might seem like oldschool indulgence. But Peter Frampton’s richly toned interpretations hold the day. No

rush here, it’s all on the stately side, whether he’s covering Sly Stone (If You Want Me To Stay),

George Harrison (Isn’t It A Pity)

or his childhood chum David Bowie (Loving The Alien).

There’s no doubt that Frampton is a master of his craft, and his tastes are refined enough to sit Radiohead next to Roxy Music, and Alison Krauss beside Marvin Gaye. There’s plenty of wit about the project: the cover features a vintage typewriter and a blank sheet of paper, but his fingers do the talking elsewhere. The best moments are possibly the more obscure ones: a delicious I Don’t Know Why (a Stevie Wonder B-side in 1968) and Michel Colombier’s Dreamland. Herd immunity for troubling times. ■■■■■■■■■■