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

Iggy Pop,"Free" (Caroline International)-The eagerly anticipated follow up to 2016's surprisingly successful "Post Pop Depression" is dominated by the great man's melancholy musings on mortality and the inexorable passage of time, boasting some splendidly tuneful jazz inflected creations alongside spoken word pieces such as Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" and Iggy's own "The Dawn." Leron Thomas' exquisite trumpet work illiuminates many of the album's finest musical moments, including "Glow in the Dark," "Page" and "Loves Missing."

Poco,"The Epic Years 1972-1976" (Cherry Red)-Poco were formed by Richie Furay,Rusty Young and Jim Messina in the aftermath of the excellent Buffalo Springfield's sad demise in 1968, and Cherry Red's latest archive anthology focusses attention on the band's tuneful contribution to the the burgeoning country-rock genre during the early seventies. Creative mainstay Furay had left the fold to join the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band by the time that the last three albums in this package were captured for posterity but they're well worth investigating nonetheless, with their 1974 live set capturing the band in their natural element as they revisited back catalogue gems such as "Ride The Country" and "A Good Feelin' To Know."

"70s Forever"(Universal Music On Demand)- The compilers of this excellent 3 CD set have plundered the archives to unearth sixty memorable offerings from a broad cross-section of seventies performers, bringing together gems from such unlikely bedfellows as Don McLean, Grand Funk Railroad, XTC and reggae great Desmond Dekker to name but a few.The contents may not spring too many surprises on the well informed punter but are well worth a few hours of anyone's time nonetheless.

Silver Lake 66,"Ragged Heart" (Self-Released)- "Ragged Heart" provides an affecting vehicle for the collective talents of prime Americana practitioners Maria Francis abd Jeff Overbo,whose performing career began many years ago in the midwestern city of Minneapolis. This gifted duo are now based in Portland, Oregon, where they ply their trade with a warmth and emotional directness which is well nigh irresistible. "Ragged Heart," "Faded Tattoo" and "Broken Dreams & Cigarettes" capture the essence of their refreshingly uncomplicated approach to music-making.