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

Purple Gang, "Strikes" (Talking Elephant)- This fascinating CD re-issue explores the one and only album recorded by the Purple Gang, an amiable jug band hailing from Stockport who are best remembered these days for their quirky debut single, "Granny Takes A Trip," which was banned by the BBC in 1967 for its alleged drug references. The deliciously dated contents have been fleshed out a little here with the addition of a string of bonus tracks, including "Boon Tune," an obscure ditty penned by the Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett which he had offered to the band as a suggested follow-up to "Granny..."

Dickey Betts & Great Southern, "Southern Rock Jam" (Floating World)- Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts recorded two albums with Great Southern after his former outfit's temporary demise in 1976, and the best of these splendid Arista recordings has been gathered together here. Betts' eclectic fusion of rock, blues and country influences permeates an appealingly home spun anthology which provides an ideal vehicle for his distinctive voice and slide guitar work via stand-out tracks such as "California Blues," "Sweet Virginia"and the eloquent "Atlanta's Burning Down."

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, "The Nashville Sound" (Southeastern Records)- The latest finely crafted offering from Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and his supremely gifted musical cohorts serves as a more than impressive follow-up to 2015's "Something More Than Free," which helped to establish Jason as one of the leading lights of the Americana genre. The title of this CD represents an ironic sideswipe at the glossy artificiality of much of the country fare that emanates from Nashville these days, but Isbell himself still addresses contemporary social concerns with the perception and integrity which has become his trademark over the years , regaling listeners with richly resonant ditties such as "If We Were Vampires," "Something To Love" and "Tupelo" in the process.

Jack Tempchin, "Jack Tempchin" (Retroworld)- This laid-back American tunesmith is best remembered these days as the writer of The Eagles' 1972 hit, "Peaceful Easy Feeling," and this classic slice of Californian country-rock is also one of the highlights of Tempchin's Arista solo debut, first released in 1978 and blessed with many of the ingredients which helped to fuel the West Coast rock boom four decades or so ago. This undiscovered gem boasts guest appearances from Jackson Browne and the late Glenn Frey and also features a fine rendition of "Tijuana," the product of a rare songwriting collaboration between Tempchin and the great Tom Waits.