The Small Faces,"There Are But Four Small Faces" (Charly)-This newly remastered CD re-issue serves up mono and stereo versions of The Small Faces' classic 1968 album, which was released exclusively in the U.S.of A. in February of that year. The contents blend tracks from the group's 1967 album,"Small Faces," with a selection of recent hit singles showcasing the songwriting prowess of Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. "Itchycoo Park," " Here Comes The Nice" and "Tin Soldier" all slot neatly into the latter category and as an added bonus the compilers of this excellent 2 CD set have also included several rare bonus tracks for the benefit of Small Faces completists everywhere.

Ward Knutur Townes,”Unanswered” (Betty Beetroot Records)- This fascinating multi national collaboration brings together gifted singer-songwriters from the U.K., Canada and Iceland in a glorious celebration of the delights of this perennially popular genre. Lucy Ward, Adyn Townes and Svavar Knutur first joined forces during the Covid inspired Global Music Match, which found musicians from around the world making music together virtually when the pandemic made face to face performances impossible. The natural rapport which existed between them made the subsequent recording of an album almost inevitable, and the beguiling and eclectic “Unanswered” is the result. Selecting highlights is an invidious task because every track really is a subtly memorable gem, and if you can find the time to explore this excellent collection in its entirety I’m sure that your musical curiosity will be more than amply rewarded.

“Shake That Thing! - The Blues in Britain 1963-1973” (Strawberry / Cherry Red)- Cherry Red’s vibrant new 3 CD set explores the work of many of the fine bands and solo performers whose musical output was influenced by the authentic spirit of the blues during the sixties and early seventies. The list of participants reads almost like a who’s who of British rock during this creatively fruitful era, with telling contributions emerging from the likes of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall, Rory Gallagher and Savoy Brown to name just a few. The strength of these archive anthologies always lies in the array of fascinating obscurities that are on offer, and this admirable category is well represented here by tracks such as acoustic guitar ace Wizz Jones’ “Spoonful” and Alexis Korner’s “Steal Away,” the latter featuring future Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant on vocals.