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

Alan Hull,"Statues & Liberties" (Talking Elephant)- Lindisfarne's frontman and creative mainstay Alan Hull was applying the finishing touches to the fine collection which sadly became his vinyl epitaph in the winter of 1995 when a heart thrombosis took his life at the age of just 50 . Hull's status as one of the finest singer-songwriters that Britain has ever produced has sadly never been fully recognised, and if you do require concrete evidence of the Geordie tunesmith's rare capabilities as a prime purveyor of the finest folk rock that you could ever wish to hear you'd be well advised to lend a receptive ear to arresting ditties such as "Money," "Statues & Liberties" and the album's crowning glory, "This Heart of Mine."

Katy Moffatt, "Katy / Kissin' in the Californian Sun" (Retro World)- This timely CD re-issue shines a long overdue spotlight on two seventies albums from the criminally under-appreciated Katy Moffatt. 1978's "Kissin' in the California Sun" is a genuine undiscovered gem, with Katy's superb interpretative talents breathing new life into such diverse offerings as Major Lance's 1963 hit, "Um- Um- Um- Um- Um- Um," Carole King's "Up On The Roof" and Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight" aided and abetted by some of LA's finest session talent, including guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Rick Vito and the then ubiquitous saxist Jim Horn.

Mutter Slater Band, "Field of Stone" (Angel Air)-This veteran performer is best remembered these days for his quirky exploits with prog rockers Stackridge almost half a century ago, but Mutter Slater has been blessed with one of the finest voices in British rock and he now has an opportunity to indulge his genuine passion for r&b , blues and soul via splendid albums such as this. The latest addition to Mutter's impressive back catalogue mines a rich vein of polished melodicism, and devotees of his work in the past would be well advised to lend an ear to heartfelt creations such as "Love is the Stranger," "Weird Kid" and "Field of Stone" itself.

Karine Polwart, "Laws of Motion" (Hudson Records)- Acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter Karine Polwart performs innovative and thought-provoking material steeped in the country's folk and roots tradition, and her latest album explores topics as diverse as Trump, Japanese migrants and allegorical children's tales with grace, sensitivity and empathy. Her scathing verdict on the former is poetically expressed by the timeless spirit of his mother's Lewis birthplace and Karine also excels with a stunning rendition of the late Sydney Carter's anti-war lullaby, "Crow on the Cradle."