Music reviews

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit ,"Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit" & "Here We Rest" (Thirty Tigers)-Jason Isbell's sublime blend of melodic Southern rock and melancholy country-soul has earned the Alabama born singer-guitarist a grand total of four Grammy Awards to date, and these remixed and remastered CD re-issues capture the cream of his early output with recently recruited backing band the 400 Unit. 2009's "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit" and 2011's "Here We Rest" are liberally peppered with rootsy creations which have become firm fan favourites in the interim,most notably "Cigarettes and Wine," "Alabama Pines" and "The Blue."

Kelly Steward, "Tales and Tributes of the Deserving and Not So"(Glass Wing Records)-Kelly Steward hails from the Midwestern town of Rockford, Illinois, and this gifted singer-songwriter has spent the past decade or so honing her affecting sound in close collaboration with musical soulmates Miles Nielsen and Greg Whitson. The three musicians have now decided that the time is right for Kelly's eagerly awaited solo album to finally see the light of day, and if you lend an ear to the melodic charms of "Golden Sun" or "Restless Kind" you'll understand why her work has often prompted comparisons with the mid seventies output of illustrious country-rockers such as Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.

The Cannon Hill Irregulars,"In Their Prime"(Talking Elephant)- This engaging folk-rock collection provides an eloquent vehicle for the talents of the Albion Band's esteemed musical director Anthony Ingle and his like minded musical cohorts, including two members of legendary medievalists Gryphon in the shape of Brian Gulland and guitarist Graeme Taylor. Their varied repertoire of rustic dance tunes , Christmas Wassails and inventively arranged traditional songs also marks the final appearance on record of the late lamented Bill Caddick, whose stunning vocals grace "The Broom O'Cowdenknowes" and "Young Sailor Cut Down in His Prime."

Shed Seven , "Going For Gold" (Polydor)- The original version of "Going For Gold" first saw the light of day in 1999, bringing together the best of Shed Seven's first three studio albums. This highly commercial exercise in crowd pleasing Britpop is now available as a gold vinyl double album to mark the twentieth anniversary of its initial release, boasting a string of fascinating bonus tracks including two hitherto unreleased live offerings, "Chasing Rainbows" and "Bully Boy" from their legendary show at London's Kentish Town Forum in November 1996.