Def Leppard did it with Yeah!. Ozzy Osbourne did it with Under Cover. Peter Frampton is doing it with Fingerprints.
"It" is artists recording albums that are tributes to other artists whose music has influenced them. Frampton took it a step further and invited some of those artists to join him on the album.
Fingerprints is "the album I’ve been waiting my entire life to make," Frampton said when the album was announced. "I wanted to play with people from all over the world, and I wanted to make the selections as diverse as possible."
Did he succeed? Oh, yeah. Styles range from rock to swing to r&b, blues, and country. Guest players include present and former (respectively) Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman; Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron and Mike McCready; original members of The Shadows, Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett; Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule).
The guest list also includes well-known session guitarists Paul Franklin and John Jorgenson, and Courtney Pine on saxophone. Frequent co-writer (and the album's co-producer) Gordon Kennedy is featured, along with Frampton's regular band-mates, John Regan on bass, Arthur Stead on keyboards, and Shawn Fichter on drums.
"It" is artists recording albums that are tributes to other artists whose music has influenced them. Frampton took it a step further and invited some of those artists to join him on the album.
Fingerprints is "the album I’ve been waiting my entire life to make," Frampton said when the album was announced. "I wanted to play with people from all over the world, and I wanted to make the selections as diverse as possible."
Did he succeed? Oh, yeah. Styles range from rock to swing to r&b, blues, and country. Guest players include present and former (respectively) Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman; Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron and Mike McCready; original members of The Shadows, Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett; Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule).
The guest list also includes well-known session guitarists Paul Franklin and John Jorgenson, and Courtney Pine on saxophone. Frequent co-writer (and the album's co-producer) Gordon Kennedy is featured, along with Frampton's regular band-mates, John Regan on bass, Arthur Stead on keyboards, and Shawn Fichter on drums.
The More Things Change ...
Unlike the Def Leppard and Osbourne albums, the songs on Fingerprints are not covers. Frampton wrote three of the songs and collaborated on all but two of the others. The "talk box" effect which many people associate so closely with Frampton (although he hasn’t really used it all that much) is used just enough on this album to remind us of that association.
In many ways, Frampton has come a long way since his days with Humble Pie and The Herd in the 60s. He remains, however, a guitarist’s guitarist: original, innovative, fresh.
Fingerprints isn’t the kind of album you have to devote a lot of attention to in order to enjoy. That doesn’t mean that it’s background music. It is catchy without being intrusive. It is memorable, though probably not what you’ll hum in the shower.
You Frampton fans will have to have the album to keep your collection current. Those of you who just appreciate good music, regardless of who performs it, could do a lot worse than adding Fingerprints to your playlists.
Track List
"Boot It Up" - (featuring Courtney Pine)
"Ida Y Vuelta (Out And Back)"
"Black Hole Sun" - (featuring Matt Cameron/Mike McCready)
"Float" - (featuring Gordon Kennedy)
"My Cup Of Tea" - (featuring Hank Marvin/Brian Bennett)
"Shewango Way"
"Blooze" - (featuring Warren Haynes)
"Cornerstones" - (featuring Charlie Watts/Bill Wyman)
"Grab A Chicken (Put It Back)"
"Double Nickels" - (featuring Paul Franklin)
"Smoky"
"Blowin' Smoke" - (featuring Matt Cameron/Mike McCready)
"Oh, When..."
"Souvenirs De Nos Peres" - (featuring John Jorgenson)
