From the opening sting of Criss Johnson's guitar through the openhearted, deep-soul balladry of "Nothing Takes the Place of You," Force of Nature forces the listener to hear Koko Taylor with fresh ears. Though Taylor has long claimed the title of Queen of the Blues, such coronation seemed more a matter of lack of competition than depth of artistry, a reflection of raw vocal power rather than stylistic range – her blustery swagger limited to variations on the theme of "Wang Dang Doodle."

Force of Nature, however, finds Taylor attaining a royal level of accomplishment, one worthy of Muddy Waters, Bobby "Blue" Bland or any of the various Kings. While it might seem that the last thing the world needs is another version of "Born Under a Bad Sign," the tribute to Albert King finds Taylor and guitarist Buddy Guy tearing into the tune as if it were a sizzling T-bone, with Taylor spurring Guy into a more spontaneously charged performance than often marks his own recordings. Even more familiar and more inspired is "Hound Dog," sparked by a rhythmic arrangement that lets Taylor make the song her own.

The range of the album's material shows Taylor's mastery over several shades of blue, with her phrasing on "Fish in Dirty Water" matching the full-bodied horn arrangement of Gene "Daddy G" Barge in both sophistication and command of dynamics. She swings with sprightly assurance on "If I Can't Be First" and so thoroughly transforms "Bad Case of Loving You" (the Moon Martin-Robert Palmer hit) that it takes a verse or so to recognize the song in its grittier groove.

For all of the album's career-capping, audience-broadening ambition, the music never suffers from overcalculation or crossover contrivance. There's a charge of immediacy throughout that's more common to the midnight bandstand than the recording studio, particularly in the interplay of co-producer Johnson (one of Chicago's finest young blues guitarists, though he more often plays in a gospel context) and keyboardist Jeremiah Africa. As for Taylor, there's nothing pretty in her gravel-gargling tone, but she sings with a conviction that shakes life into even the hoariest blues clichés and makes them ring contemporary and true. (RS 676)

DON MCLEESE