Kevin Bryan explores some of this week's alternative CD releases.

Sam Outlaw, "Angeleno" (Thirty Tigers)- This former Oasis covers band stalwart made a radical shift in his approach to music-making after his first exposure to the classic country sounds of Emmylou Harris and George Jones. The Southern California resident is now a fully fledged country balladeer of the old school, with a skilfully crafted debut album under his belt produced by no less a luminary than the great Ry Cooder. The legendary guitarist's eloquent contributions illuminate timeless gems such as "Country Love Song," "Ghost Town" and "It Might Kill Me " and add the finishing touches to one of the finest country collections that you'll be likely to hear in this or any other year.

Honey Island Swamp Band, "Demolition Day" (Ruf Records)-This impressive outfit hail from the musically vibrant city of New Orleans and deliver a richly satisfying blend of blues, rock and funk in the manner of classic outfits such as The Allman Brothers or Little Feat . The five piece band joined forces with acclaimed producer Luther Dickinson and a skilfully deployed horn section to record "Demolition Day" in the space of just four days, giving the finished product a freshness and immediacy that's all too rare in these troubled times. Stand-out tracks such as "How Do You Feel," "Ain't No Fun" and "Devil's Den" capture the essence of their eclectic appeal.

Marc Bolan & T.Rex, "Born To Boogie" (Edsel Records)- This interesting historical artefact focusses attention on the two shows that the glam rock pioneer played at Wembley's Empire Pool on March 18th, 1972. These virtually identical matinee and evening performances gave Bolan an opportunity to realise his dreams of pop stardom as he regaled his adoring teenage audience with the cream of his recent back catalogue, including trailblazing hits such as "Telegram Sam," "Hot Love" and a wildly extended eleven minute version of T.Rex's magnum opus, "Get It On."

The High Bar Gang, "Someday The Heart Will Trouble The Mind" (True North Records)- The High Bar Gang's latest True North album sets out to explore what they describe as the "cheating and hurting" side of bluegrass . These affecting sagas of love, loss and betrayl have been culled from the repertoires of top notch tunesmiths such as Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan and Johnny Cash, all of them embellished with the lush harmonies and stunning instrumental work which have become the award winning Canadian band's trademark over the years.