Heads Up
When it comes time to rock the house with uninhibited blues power, Chicago slide guitar sensation Lil' Ed Williams and his boisterous band, the Blues Imperials, have few equals. Lil' Ed's unrelentingly energetic approach, modeled in great part on that of his uncle, the lateJ.B. Hutto, makes the songs secondary to the insistent rhythm and propulsive power of the music. And the power, fueled by Lil' Ed's slashing slide guitar, is considerable as the band races through a solid set of extroverted blues party music in the style of another great houserocker,Hound Dog Taylor. A trio of tracks, including the fast-paced "My Mind Is Gone," feature the group's three-guitar touring lineup, but Lil' Ed, ably assisted by longtime fretmate Mike Garrett, showers more than enough guitar sparks elsewhere to keep the music burning brightly. Lil' Ed's sizzling slide work remains the group's calling card, but it is the complex interplay of the tightly knit band, anchored by Williams's bassist brother James "Pookie" Young, underneath his solos that makes it all work. Together, they fashion a raw and focused electrifying sound that has attracted legions of fans to their live shows, a fact musically acknowledged via the brief but celebratory "Ed Heads' Boogie" tribute.--Michael Point