"Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of Tide."

So the other week our pal Sal Nunziato, over at Burning Wood, was pondering the idea that maybe, just perhaps, the mostly disreputable Peter Frampton -- mega over-exposure victim of the 70s due to the (largely indefensible, I think) multi-platinum Frampton Comes Alive double LP -- might possibly deserve some critical re-evaluation.



Well, I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but I must admit that "All Night Long," from Frampton's second (1973) solo album (at a time when he was actually considered tres hip in what was then the hard-rock underground) has always struck me as an estimable piece of power pop. And that guitar riff on the choruses is way cool.









Apparently it appealed to Roger McGuinn as well, because he covered it -- tepidly -- on his 1977 Thunderbyrd album, the depressing near MOR followup to the wonderful Cardiff Rose.







In any case, it's still a good song. Like I said, though -- I'm not really sure if I'm ready to give Frampton a pass for his 70s heyday yet.



And yes, I'm still in DivShare Hell on my computer at home -- I did this on a certain shady dame's Mac in Brooklyn -- which is why there's no Listomania this week.