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

Savoy Brown, "Witchy Feelin' " (Ruf Records)- The fickle tides of fad and fashion may have swept many of Kim Simmonds' less robust contemporaries into undeserved oblivion long long ago but the veteran Savoy Brown frontman still soldiers on regardless, delivering essentially the same brand of muscular Chicago Blues which first made his name more than half a century ago. The current incarnation of Savoy Brown finds singer-guitarist Simmonds working with bassist Pat Desalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm, and the three musicians are in particularly fine fettle as they serve up atmospheric gems such as "Why Did You Hoodoo Me," "Standing in a Doorway" and "Witchy Feelin' "itself.

Luciano Pavarotti, "The People's Tenor" (Decca Records)- Pavarotti's illustrious back catalogue has been the source of numerous anthologies since the great man's death in 2007, and this easy on the ear 2 CD set represents the latest addition to the pile. Presumably released in an attempt to capture a healthy slice of the highly lucrative Christmas market, the contents are equally divided between much loved operatic favourites and evocative Italian popular songs such as "O Sole Mio," "Torna A Surriento" and "Volare," with Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" appearing in both its solo and original Three Tenors versions.

Jim Byrnes, "Long Hot Summer Days" (Black Hen Music)- Jim Byrnes' name may not be too familiar to the average punter on this side of the Atlantic, but this supremely gifted American expatriate has been the recipient of numerous prestigious Juno and Maple Blues Awards in his adopted Canadian homeland since moving there in the mid seventies. Jim's latest collaboration with guitarist and producer Steve Dawson finds the pair tackling a blend of original material and soulful covers, including Bobby Bland's "Ain't No Love In The Heart of the City," The Band's "The Shape I'm In" and Percy Sledge's "Out of Left Field." Splendid stuff.

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and Friends,"New Worlds" (UMG Recordings)- This wide-ranging celebration of literary and musical culture brings together movie megastar Bill Murray and German cellist Jan Vogler as they interweave extracts from "West Side Story," evocative classical compositions and spoken word passages penned by great American authors such as Walt Whitman, Mark Twain and James Thurber. Murray's growling renditions of Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" and Van Morrison's "When Will I Ever Learn To Live in God" set the seal on a quirky and richly rewarding package.