Imagination Lady

Imagination Lady is the fifth album from Stan Webb's Chicken Shack, released in 1972. In the tradition of British blues greats Alexis Korner and John Mayall, Webb’s ever-changing line-up brought in some notable players along the way.

Here, Webb handles guitar and vocals alongside future Gods and Jethro Tull member John Glascock on bass and Paul Hancox on drums. As on earlier Chicken Shack records, Webb originals sit beside a smart set of covers.

It kicks off with a fierce take on B.B. King’s Crying Won’t Help You, played with an English grit that recalls the Faces and Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac, before moving into the folk-leaning If I Were a Carpenter. Webb’s standout original is Daughter of the Hillside, a driving trio rocker in the spirit of Cream or early Led Zeppelin. Closer The Loser brings an upbeat, near-pop touch that shows the strength of this line-up.