[2] In the choice of material, the album reflects Frampton's early-career collaborators and friends (David Bowie, George Harrison), his enduring fondness for Motown (Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye), and his appreciation for more recent songs by artists such as Roxy Music, Lenny Kravitz, Alison Krauss and Radiohead.

It shows Frampton acclimatising to life under lockdown with the cancellation of his 2020 concert itinerary, struggling with boredom at home, and Zooming with family members.

[15] In his review for American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz admires the purity of Frampton's guitar playing on the album, saying that this aspect was often lost behind crowd-pleasing "talk-box showboating" in the artist's live performances.

He says the album shows Frampton's "superb guitar prowess" in a wide range of stylistic settings, from rock and soul to country, jazz, dream pop and funk.

[9] Max Bell of Classic Rock describes the guitar arrangements as "richly toned" and "stately", and sufficiently refined that the diverse material can sit together on one collection.

He finds Frampton's nuanced playing an effective substitute for a human voice, adding, "If rock pedigree, amazing chops and awesome tone are your thing, this collection is a must-have.

"[12] David Gill of Riff Magazine considers the slower, emotive adaptations of the Harrison, Bowie and Roxy Music songs to be more effective than the album's heavier rock tracks.

He deems Forgets the Words a "poignant snapshot" of an artist whose playing abilities are under threat, yet still seeks to create and to connect with his audience in the COVID era.