If ever the phrase “You can’t keep a good man down” applied to anyone, Peter Frampton is a viable candidate. Along with incredible highs like the success of Frampton Comes Alive, there have been a few lows — from what happened after Frampton Comes Alive, to a muscular condition called inclusion body myositis he contracted in 2019 that nearly ended his musical career. Though he struggles to get around and his fingers are not as nimble, Frampton continues to tour sporadically and release albums — ballet, acoustic, blues and covers. His last full-on rock album of new originals was 2010’s Thank You Mr. Churchill. For 2026, he’s taking risks, doing the unexpected, and including an eclectic roster of guests to make Carry The Light one of his most adventurous outings.
Co-written and produced with his son Julian, the 10-song collection features guest appearances from Sheryl Crow, Bill Evans, H.E.R., Tom Morello, Graham Nash, and Benmont Tench. Together, Frampton and Son take their collaborators and listeners on a joyride filled with fun and surprises. Cue the opening title track, and a chant erupts before Frampton takes the reins through a slow, disruptive groove.
There’s a reason “Buried Treasure” has a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers vibe. Featuring Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench and written as a tribute to the late musician, the song takes its name from the SiriusXM radio show Petty hosted. The lyrics even tap Petty song titles. The guitar lead that winds down the number even sports a Mike Campbell attitude, though by its end, you can tell it has that unmistakable Frampton tone written all over it.
Graham Nash harmonizes on the album’s tear-jerker, “I’m Sorry Elle” and Sheryl Crow takes a verse and joins the chorus on the mid-tempo “Breaking the Mold.” A couple of nice and easy listening fodder for the counterbalance no doubt. Tom Morello actually “breaks the mold” with a flourish of spaghetti notes to the industrial-strength protest anthem “Lions At The Gate.” It’s a strong enough statement to reveal Frampton hasn’t lost his edge. Easing off the gas, he is joined by H.E.R. to swap guitar lines on the jazz-oriented instrumental “Islamorada.”
Saxophonist Bill Evans, who served his time with Miles Davis in the 1980s, cuts the rug on both “Can You Take Me There” and “Tinderbox,” the latter flooded with some of Frampton’s most expressive playing on the record. Though it could be argued that “At The End Of The Day,” the album’s final number, finds the guitarist at his most earnest.
Now that he’s a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with accolades to boot and little else to prove, you’d think Peter Frampton would be kicking back, resting on his laurels and enjoying the spoils of a life well lived. The rules have changed; age and health issues certainly don’t make it any easier. Still, with Carry The Light, the man is determined to say more on the musical front. Up or down, he’s not about to stop now. And no living being, thing, or condition should even think about standing in his way.
~ Shawn Perry
