Kevin Bryan delivers his verdict on some of this week's alternative CD releases.

Phil Ochs, "Live in Montreal 10/22/66" (Wienerworld)- Phil Ochs' early recorded output established this prolific performer as the archetypal protest singer, including timeless gems such as "I Ain't Marching Anymore, " "There But For Fortune" and the anthemic "Power and the Glory." The talented Texan was experimenting with much more complex and less overtly political material by the time that this hitherto unreleased live set was captured for posterity just over half a century ago ,subtly reshaping the cream of his illustrious back catalogue along the way. The finished product should be required listening for devotees of the singer-songwriter genre everywhere. Arthur Lee & Love, "Complete Forever Changes Live" (Wienerworld)- Love's 1967 masterwork, "Forever Changes," has been hailed as one of the finest rock albums of that or any other generation, and the group's former frontman Arthur Lee took it upon himself to perform this ambitious and multi-faceted gem in its entirety at the 2003 Glastonbury Festival. This fine collaboration between Lee and the LA band Baby Lemonade breathes new life into classic creations such as "Alone Again Or," "Live and Let Live" and "You Set The Scene," doing full justice to the great man's creative legacy in the process.

Emily Barker, "Sweet Kind of Blue" (Everyone Sang)- Emily Barker's long awaited follow up to 2013's critically acclaimed "Dear River" finds the gifted Australian singer-songwriter exploring some of the soul and blues influences which first inspired her to take up a musical career a decade or more ago. The contents were recorded at the Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis last summer, and the unique ambiance of this legendary location has clearly informed the intoxicating charm of stand-out tracks such as "Sister Goodbye," "Sweet Kind of Blue" and Emily's current single, "Sunrise."

Paul Kantner, "Venusian Love Songs" (Retroworld)- Paul Kantner's latest posthumous release finds the former Jefferson Airplane mainstay tackling a delicious assortment of freshly minted material and covers loosely linked by the twin themes of love and personal liberty, aided and abetted by members of his extended musical family including guitarist David Freiberg. The best moments here are arguably supplied by Kantner and his jangling 12 string guitar , with "Martha Under Venusian Sun" and a fine cover of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" emerging as two of the musical highlights.