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

Elvis Costello & The Imposters, "Look Now" (Concord)- Elvis Costello should be applauded for continuing to deliver his finely crafted brand of baroque chamber-pop at a time when most of his contemporaries from the late seventies have long since fallen by the wayside, and "Look Now" captures the bespectacled balladeer at something approaching the peak of his performing powers. The bulk of this excellent set was self-penned, although Elvis did join forces with peerless American tunesmiths Burt Bacharach and Carole King to create three of the album's stand-out tracks, "Don't Look Now, " "Photographs Can Lie" and "Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter."

Blancmange, "Wanderlust" (Blanc Check Records)-Founder member Neil Arthur has striven manfully to keep the Blancmange name alive since illness forced his long term creative partner Stephen Luscombe to give up the ghost in 2011, and "Wanderlust" must rank as one of the most accomplished synth-pop collections that this strangely under-rated performer has unleashed on an unsuspecting world during almost four decades of exemplary music-making. "Distant Storm,""In Your Room" and "Gravel Drive Syndrome" capture the essence of Arthur's darkly memorable insights into the human condition.

"Country Driving Songs" (Union Square)- This nicely packaged 3 CD anthology serves up sixty fine examples of old school country music for your listening pleasure, drawing on archive recordings from such leading lights of the genre as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson. The hugely influential Carter Family also chip in with their historic 1929 performance of "Foggy Mountain Top" to remind listeners of their invaluable contribution to country music's public profile during the embryonic years of the recording industry.

Sam Lewis, "Loversity" (Loversity Records)- Sam Lewis brings a soulful quality to his work which many knowledgable pundits have found well nigh irresistible, and the Knoxville born singer-songwriter's life enhancing output has prompted comparisons with such illustrious figures as the late great Townes Van Zandt and "Self Portrait" era Dylan. "Loversity" provides an ideal introduction to Sam's warm hearted brand of social commentary, showcasing freshly minted gems such as "When Come The Morning" and the horn driven "Do It" alongside a heartfelt cover of Loudon Wainwright's 1978 opus, "Natural Disaster."