The latest reviews from Kevin Bryan.

Tony Banks, "A Chord Too Far" (Esoteric / Cherry Red)- This wide ranging celebration of  Tony Banks' solo career to date extends over four CDs and features  no less than 49 tracks culled  from the nine albums that the  Genesis keyboard ace has released  since he made his solo debut in 1979 with "A Curious Feeling."  The tracklisting was personally selected by Tony himself and the diverse and skilfully crafted melodic fare on offer  includes a string of recently remixed recordings and four hitherto unreleased creations , with the vocal duties handled by such unlikely bedfellows  as Toyak Wilcox, Fish and Nik Kershaw.

Steve Ellis, "Best of Days" (Angel Air Records)- Edgware born Steve  Ellis is  best remembered these days for his musical exploits  with Love Affair, the teenage pop sensations who were almost a fixture in the British singles charts during the late sixties with hits such as "Rainbow Valley" and "Everlasting Love." Steve has had to endure more than his fair share of trials and tribulations since those days but he remains one of the country's most compelling vocal talents, and this appealing  2008 package  features not one but two fine versions of "Everlasting Love," with an understated acoustic re-vamp rubbing shoulders with a much more heartfelt  live rendition  recorded with Paul Weller during the latter's "Wings of Speed" tour in 2001.

"Latest &  Greatest  Indie  Anthems" (Union Square)- The compilers of this eminently listenable  3CD set have rounded up  many of the usual suspects to populate an eclectic celebration of the delights of indie music-making. Classic offerings from the likes of Pulp, Athlete and Noah and the Whale all make an appearance alongside contributions from bands who wouldn't normally be pigeonholed within the confines of the indie spectrum such as Madness and Frankie Goes To Hollywood, who chip in with their inimitable cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run."

Act, "Love & Hate" (Salvo)- Propaganda vocalist Claudia Brucken joined forces  with electronics wizard Thomas Leer in 1987  to form Act, a  short-lived outfit who were unfortunate enough to arrive on the scene just as the synth pop boom was finally  fizzling out. "Love & Hate" captures the cream of this inventive  duo's relatively meagre back catalogue , including "Snobbery & Decay," "Under The Nights of Germany" and their bizarre pop cabaret  version of The Smiths' 1984 hit,  "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."