Imagination
Lady is the fifth long-player for Stan Webb's Chicken Shack. Much in the same
tradition as the great British bluesmen Alexis Corner and John Mayall, Webb's
revolving-door personnel landed the band several notable members, including:
John Almond (tenor/alto sax), Hughie Flint (drums), and Christine Perfect
(keyboards/vocals). For this album, Webb (guitar/vocals) gathered a trio
consisting of himself, future Gods and Jethro Tull member John Glascock (bass),
and Paul Hancox (drums). Enthusiasts of the more traditional 40 Blue Fingers,
Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve and OK Ken albums have been quick to dismiss
the latter-era band, often citing the whole over amplified power metal trip as
detracting from their blues origins. While certainly valid assessments, the
power trio featured on Imagination Lady brings more than sheer volume to this
release. As with the previous Chicken Shack long-players, this disc features
several Webb originals augmented with some well-chosen cover tunes. The album
opens with a ferocious cover of B.B. King's "Crying Won't Help You."
This version is highlighted by Glascock's thrashing basslines and Webb's
wah-wah driven lead guitar and gin-soaked vocals. In a style akin to the Faces
or even some of the rowdier moments from the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac,
this trio grinds out the blues with a decidedly English edge. The folkie
"If I Were a Carpenter" is speared with searing electric guitar leads
that rip throughout the likewise spirited contributions from Glascock and
Hancox. The tune is also afforded an unexpected sensitivity that contrasts well
between the all-out sonic onslaught of the chorus and the restrained
polyrhythms of the verses. In regards to original material, "Daughter of
the Hillside" is without a doubt Webb's most impressive contribution to
the album. It is arguably the strongest side on the disc. This straight-ahead
rocker is an ideal trio effort with equal contributions from all three
recalling the intense instrumentality of Cream or early Led Zeppelin. With so
much potential, it's unfortunate that the 11-minute epic "Telling Your
Fortune" -- which is nothing more than a 12-bar blues platform for solos
from Webb and Hancox -- is so erratic. In an ironic contrast, the closing
number "The Loser" is upbeat and almost pop-oriented, again
displaying the immense strength of this short-lived incarnation of Chicken
Shack.
Lindsay Planer. AllMusic.com
