The latest reviews from Kevin Bryan.

"The Very Best of the Everly Brothers" (Union Square USMMDCD005)- The Everlys' distinctive  brand of tunefully harmonised  pop has been the subject of countless compilations over the years,and this new 2 CD set explores very familiar territory as it revives the cream of their  output from the late fifties and early sixties. Don and Phil's smoothly expressive approach to music-making also went on to  influence performers such as Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles during their formative years,and although the duo's personal relationship may have grown  increasingly fractious as the years wore on their classic  early recordings have lost little of their pristine melodic charm with the passage of  time.

 

"Look Again To The Wind-Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears Revisited" (Sony Music)-  Johnny Cash's 1964 long-player "Bitter Tears" must have been one of the first ever concept albums  as it explored  the sad plight of the Native American population via  eight songs which helped to forge the singer's reputation as a campaigner for human dignity and ,in this case,long overdue social justice. Producer Joe Henry has enlisted the aid  of  some of the leading lights of America's roots music fraternity to breathe new life into this impressive song cycle half a century after its intital release,with the likes of Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch making telling contributions to a splendid package which also features Cash's old friend  Kris Kristofferson  on "The Ballad of Ira Hayes."

 

"The Blues"(Union Square Music)- The contents of this compelling collection showcase some of the finest  examples of  urban and country blues that you could ever wish to hear ,drawing on archive recordings from many of the leading lights of the genre. The impact that many of these performers made on mainstream pop and rock music during the fifties and sixties simply can't be overstated, and this inexpensive 2CD set  features memorable contributions by everyone from legendary Delta bluesmen Robert Johnson and Son House to innovative harmonica ace Little Walter and  guitar boogie specialist John Lee Hooker,who chips in with his 1948 r&b hit, "Crawlin' King Snake."

 

Simple Minds,"Big Music" (Caroline International)- Scotland's  prime purveyors of widescreen stadium-rock are much less prolific  on the recording front these days ,but Jim Kerr and company have finally been tempted back into the studio for the first time  since the release of 2009's "Graffiti Soul," and this typicaly expansive offering  is the result. It would be a trifle unrealistic to expect Simple Minds to spring too many surprises on their devotees at this advanced stage of their career but "Big Music" still succeeds in serving up a string of powerful and passionate rock anthems for your listening pleasure nonetheless,with the forthcoming single,"Honest Town" emerging as the best of the bunch.