Flamin' Groovies, "Live 1971 San Francisco" (Wienerworld)- The Flamin' Groovies' adrenalin fuelled brand of rock revivalism was never a particularly commercial proposition but the San Francisco band were hugely influential performers nonetheless, helping to pave the way for the subsequent development of power pop and punk rock during the latter half of the seventies. This distinctly low fidelity offering captures the Groovies gig at the legendary Fillmore West in 1971, including their typically energised covers of The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," The Who's "I Can't Explain" and Rufus Thomas' "Walkin' The Dog" to name but a few.

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, "Messin' With The Blues" (Wienerworld)- Southside Johnny Lyon had been inactive on the recording front for almost a decade when he captured the contents of "Messin' With The Blues" for posterity in 2000, joining forces with E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent to mastermind a package which provided an ideal vehicle for his often under exploited harmonica work as he served up an eclectic blend of covers and original material for your delectation. Tom Waits' "Gin Soaked Boy" and Percy Mayfield's "River's Invitation" share the limelight with the earthy swamp rock of "Satan's Shoes" and the infectious Louisiana zydeco of Eddie Shuler's "Come Home Little Girl."

"Lovely Creatures : The Best of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds" (Mute Records / BMG)- This excellent anthology of Cave and company's career to date was compiled by the great man himself in close collaboration with Bad Seed Mick Harvey, and was originally scheduled for release in 2014. Another studio album, "Skeleton Tree," has appeared on the scene in the interim but "Lovely Creatures" still presents a reasonably comprehensive overview of this distinctive outfit's career to date, showcasing their 1995 hit, "Where The Wild Roses Grow," alongside perennial crowd-pleasers "Stagger Lee" and "The Mercy Seat" and film soundtrack staple "Red Right Hand."

Willie Nelson, "God's Problem Child" (Legacy Recordings)- The venerable country music maverick celebrates his 84th birthday with the release of "God's Problem Child," adding a new batch of freshly minted material to the vast recorded repertoire which he's assembled during the past half century or so. Nelson's wise and perceptive musings on life, love and mortality inform a collection which would sit snugly alongside the cream of his iconic seventies output, liberally peppered with bittersweet gems such as "Still Not Dead," "He Won't Ever Be Gone" and "Your Memory Has a Mind of Its Own."