Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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Peter Frampton

  • Wind of Change [A&M, 1972] B-
  • Frampton Comes Alive! [A&M, 1976] B-
  • I'm in You [A&M, 1977] C-

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Wind of Change [A&M, 1972]
Not hard to hear why he wanted out of Humble Pie--with his pretty guitar and air of abstracted yearning, the boy's almost a ringer for Dave Mason. He's equally tuneful, vague, and confused about women ("I wasn't made to do no cooking"?). The difference is that Mason would never cover "Jumping Jack Flash." But if he did he'd take it at the same insipidly insinuating tempo. B-

Frampton Comes Alive! [A&M, 1976]
All right, Peter, you've made your point--tour enough and smile enough and the tunes sink in. I'll rate your fucking album--it's been in the top five all year. Now will you please leave? B-

I'm in You [A&M, 1977]
Like Steve Miller, Frampton is a medium-snazzy guitarist taking no chances on an absurdly salable formula this time out; the only development from his first (and best) two albums is that this one has a kinda "live" feel, and the material is very thin. But at least Frampton sounds completely unsmug, an achievement in a star of his magnitude. C-