- 10
- Tracks
- 43 min
- Runtime
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10 tracks · 43 min
Wind of Change is the first solo album of Peter Frampton. It was released in 1972. This album features appearances by Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, and Klaus Voorman. Frampton decided to remain with Humble Pie's U.S. label A&M, and to assemble an able supporting cast, including Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Spooky Tooth members Mick Jones, and Mike Kellie, and former Herd member Andy Bown, for his first solo effort, which is his actual debut album. The self-produced debut album was engineered by Chris Kimsey, who had worked on Humble Pie's Rock On, introduced a lush melodic sensibility that contrasted the raucous boogie that made Humble Pie famous, with a particular emphasis on Frampton's supple acoustic guitar work. The songs on Wind of Change are built primarily around acoustic guitar foundations. But the inclusion of such songs as "It's A Plain Shame", and "All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)" made it clear that he hadn't lost the urge to rock, as he did a reworking of the Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash", was the project's only non-Frampton composition.
The sound is crisp, the melodies catchy, and Frampton's distinctive guitar leads soar throughout. A comparison between this album and Humble Pie's post-Frampton turn to generic boogie-rock shows why Frampton left that group. Although Humble Pie's Smokin' was much more successful, hitting the Top Ten in the spring of 1972, Wind of Change was far superior musically. With its mix of ballads and upbeat numbers with just enough of a rock edge, Wind of Change showed Frampton at his creative peak. The album took longer to record than any Humble Pie album, because he wasn't recording every day. He took days off to write.
