The latest reviews from Kevin Bryan.

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.