Stan Webb's Broken Glass
Broken Glass

Broken Glass is a short project that Stan Webb undertook in 1975 with Rob Blunt on guitar, Mac Poole on drums, and Rob Rawlinson on bass, with the help of Miller Anderson on vocals and guitar. The only self-titled album released contains 10 tracks and marks another shift by Stan into new territories. The opening of "Standing on the Border" gives a good idea of the project, a melody that captures attention in full 70s style with Stan's voice alternating with that of Miller Anderson. Next is "Alright," a refined piece written by Webb where the intertwining guitars create a very effective soundscape. After the softness of the second track, it moves to "Keep Your Love," which touches reggae-like territories with Stan's hoarse voice and the keyboard work of Tony Ashton, who also contributed to some tracks of the album. We return to rougher rock blues with "Can't Keep You Satisfied," enriched by slide guitar and typical Stan The Man phrasing alternated with Rob Blunt's clever guitar. The first side ends with "Jersey Lightning," a fun all-acoustic number that recalls 50s atmospheres.

Side B opens with "It's Evil," a track that echoes the well-known "Evil" interpreted by Howlin Wolf, with the wah-wah pedal taking center stage, creating rough and gritty riffs. "Ain't No Magic" is perhaps the most improvised and experimental number on the album with a barely perceptible filtered voice and great bass work by Rawlinson. "Crying Smiling" brings back to a more relaxed 70s-style pop-rock, with the voices of Stan and Anderson. "Take the Water" ventures into somewhat funkier rhythms, a track still reproduced by Stan today included in his CS Opera. The album closes with the title track, "Broken Glass," an entirely acoustic piece with Miller Anderson's voice prominently featured.

An album that has always captivated me for its typically 70s atmosphere, it's known that this project performed some live shows in early 1976 as the opening act for Uriah Heep's European tour, but after a few months, the band disbanded, and Stan resumed with his Chicken Shack.