Music review: Peter Frampton – ‘Hummingbird in a Box’
Guitar virtuoso Peter Frampton delivers an alluring collection of intimate songs on his 15th studio release. 鈥淗ummingbird in a Box鈥� features seven original guitar pieces inspired by a live collaboration with the Cincinnati Ballet last spring.
The sparse album clocks in at just under 30 minutes, but Frampton鈥檚 famed guitar skills are gracefully showcased throughout the delicate material. Engaging songs like 鈥淭he Promenade鈥檚 Retreat鈥� and 鈥淪hadow of My Mind鈥� illustrate Frampton鈥檚 gift for composing smart arrangements filled with lush texture and tone.
鈥淔riendly Fire鈥� is the album鈥檚 signature track that possesses a soothing vocal style similar to that of Crosby, Stills and Nash. The 64-year-old guitarist has come a long way from the days of playing in Humble Pie with frontman Steve Marriot. Frampton would later leave Humble Pie after four studio albums to pursue a solo career.
His breakthrough moment would arrive after the release of a double-LP set recorded primarily at San Francisco鈥檚 Winterland in 1975. 鈥淔rampton Comes Alive!鈥� went on to become one of the top-selling live records of all time. This glorious piece of arena rock at its very best featured rock anthems like 鈥淪how Me the Way,鈥� 鈥淏aby, I Love Your Way鈥� and 鈥淒o You Feel Like We Do.鈥�
Each time I hear a selection from the live album, I am immediately reminded of how fortunate I was to grow up in the 1970s with such a variety of great musical performers. Frampton鈥檚 live offering continues to be one of my favorite concert recordings along with 鈥淎live!鈥� (1975) by Kiss, 鈥淎live and Dangerous鈥� (1978) by Thin Lizzy and 鈥淪trangers in the Night鈥� (1979) from UFO. The British rocker may have traded in his ferocious blasts of guitar riffs for a more subdued feel on his latest offering, but the infectious nuances of his well-crafted arrangements remain the same.
Frampton, who was recently inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame, will be performing at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg on July 9.