Review: Peter Frampton, ‘Carry The Light’ – A Surprisingly Strong Late Career LP With Guests Galore

When most people hear the name Peter Frampton their first thought is of his popular 1976 live album, Frampton Comes Alive. It’s one of the most iconic (double) live albums ever released.

I can remember going to parties in the early 80s when I was in high school and hearing the live version of “Do You Feel Like We Do” and stoners exclaiming, “He’s making the guitar talk!” Not exactly but rage on fellas.

All these years later Frampton is back with an eclectic new album, Carry The Light, his first album of new material since 2010’s Thank You Mr. Churchill. This record veers all over the place and frankly, I love it.

Of course we were big fans of his 2019 blues covers LP creatively titled All Blues. But then we’re big blues/blues rock fans around here. Between that and this new record, he released an all instrumental album, 2021’s Frampton Forgets The Words. 

Between listening to Peter Frampton and the Eagles’ new box set for One Of These Nights, I’m trapped in a mid-70s time warp, or so it seems. Oddly, I was in grade school back then. What’s next, a bologna sandwich on white bread for lunch?

Frampton’s career up to that ’76 live album had some similarities to Bob Seger’s early career. Although, Frampton had been in a couple of bands prior to going solo, the Herd and most notably Humble Pie with Steve Marriott (Small Faces). Marriott leaving the Small Faces precipitated Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart’s joining the band and voila, the Faces were born.

Frampton left Humble Pie to go solo in 1972 but like Seger, his early records just didn’t hit with the public. And make no mistake, those are some great albums: Winds Of Change (1972) and Frampton’s Camel (1973) were both exceptional, to name but two.

Also like Seger it was that live album that blew him up commercially. Strangely for some acts, it’s the live LP that is the breakthrough. Even then the live versions of his songs from his early albums were always more popular than the originals. I only got into early Frampton (72-75) a few years ago, when All Blues came out and they are well worth the time. Frampton couldn’t sustain his success the way Seger did, unfortunately.

It was in 2019 that sadly Frampton was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, a disease that attacks and weakens the muscles, especially in the hands. Very bad for a guitar player. I know he had to scale back live performances but I’m delighted we have gotten this new album – it’s a gift – that could perhaps be his last.

The first thing that jumps out at me here is the absolutely wonderful guitar tone Frampton gets. He’s always had a warm and wonderful sound on guitar and it is here, fully present. He was always a gunslinger type guitar player but this album really brings that out in him. Maybe it’s because it surprised me a bit, but I really like this album.

The album has a host of guest stars but the songs rarely get pulled in the direction of the guest. The tracks sound firmly like Frampton. I’m delighted with the protest undercurrent that we get in a few of these tracks. Leave it to the old rock stars to show up with protest music. It’s an eclectic mix of styles and tempos across the album, but it all hangs together.

The opening song is the title track and I’ll admit, at first it threw me for a loop. It starts with some Indigenous People chanting. Frampton is English… but then I remembered the Cult utilizing similar vocals on Ceremony and pushed my expectations aside.

“Carry The Light” ended up being one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s a “we’re better together” type track, urging us to come together in the sudden darkness we find ourselves in and well, “Carry The Light” forward. “Gotta listen to the Elders…” And it comes with a tasty guitar solo.

“Buried Treasure” is a wonderful tribute to Tom Petty. Its title comes from Petty’s radio show where he played old, hidden gems from other artists. Former Heartbreaker keyboardist Benmont Tench is on board to add some great organ to the track.

Frampton name checks so many Petty songs in the song – all of which could be considered “buried treasure” themselves – it’s hard to keep track. It’s a great rock song. Too bad he couldn’t also pull in Heartbreaker Mike Campbell for a guitar dual…dare to dream.

“I’m Sorry Elle” is an acoustic number, written for his granddaughter and has a wonderful harmony vocal from Graham Nash, who just improves every song he’s on. I just wish he’d been used a little more on the track, he’s that good.

The song itself is an apology from his generation to the newest generation for their failures – climate change, COVID, Democracy dying. The world we’re handing our grand kids doesn’t look terribly great right now. But then greed ruins everything.

Sheryl Crow duets with Frampton on “Breaking The Mold.” I hadn’t thought of or heard Sheryl in decades. It’s a decent pop rock number but admittedly the only one that didn’t grab me. I like “I Can’t Let It Be” better. The guitar is wonderful… it’s all about not standing on the sidelines right now.

“The Lions At The Gate,” featuring Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine/The E Street Band) is the only track that sounds more Rage than Frampton. It’s an all out protest song and it rocks. It’s a fabulous rock n roll call to arms.

“Islamorada” is an instrumental with guest guitar from H.E.R. and I love the guitar playing on this song as well. Two fabulous electric guitars intertwined, crying out in the night, oh yes.

Jazz sax man Bill Evans is featured on two tracks, “Can You Take Me There” and “Tinderbox.” Evans played with Miles Davis in the 80s. “Can You Take Me There” is an ethereal jazz thing with an impassioned vocal from Frampton. “Tinderbox” is another protest track. It’s more in Frampton’s rock n roll universe with a jazz middle. Love the sax Evans lays down. “Can you hear me now?”

“At The End Of The Day” is another instrumental. It has some acoustic guitar in the background and some more soaring, beautiful lead electric from Frampton. It’s a perfect way to end the album, no guests, just all Frampton laying down beautiful leads.

I knew this album was coming, but maybe it was my keeping my expectations low, but this album is a surprise gem to me. I really dug where Frampton’s coming from and his guitar playing, as usual, is sensational.

I don’t know if this will be his last album but this one – much like his early stuff – is absolutely worth a spin. It’s a great, late career gem. Crank this one up loud with a tumbler of dark and murky fluids in front of a porch fire pit, it’ll hit home.

Cheers!