Peter Frampton's solo debut after leaving
Humble Pie (as they stood on the brink of stardom) spotlights
Frampton's well-crafted, though lyrically lightweight, songwriting and his fine guitar playing. The songs on
Wind of Change are built primarily around acoustic guitar foundations, but "It's a Plain Shame" and "All I Want to Be (Is by Your Side)" sound like they could have been lifted off
Humble Pie's
Rock On. The sound is crisp, the melodies catchy, and
Frampton's distinctive, elliptical Gibson
Les Paul 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 band here includes
Ringo Starr,
Billy Preston, and
Klaus Voorman. ~ Jim Newsom