Uncut

The Electric Slide Guitar King's boisterous re-recordings of '50s sides

Early off-cuts from cultish British eccentric

Career overview of Britain's most famous white female blues singer (1944-1990)

Fine if sometimes obscure music-making from fiery Scots legend

Lou's Velvets and solo works hand-picked for posterity with direct input from interested parties

Reissue of four classic albums coincides with founder member Bargeld's decision to quit Nick Cave's Bad Seeds

Two essential seminars from country-rock school of midwifery, the latter including a clutch of unreleased obscurities

Ripples of excitement from Cleveland's neglected power pop masters

While hanging out with calypso stars Mighty Sparrow and Lord Invader on the Trinidadian set of 1957's Fire Down Below, Mitchum hit on the idea of a cash-in album for Capitol execs eager to tap into the next big thing. Harry Belafonte aside, the craze didn't quite sweep, but old sourpuss' unlikely stab is commendable for its gusto, rum-cocktail swing and gentle innuendo (see "Tic Tic Tic"). Sinatra it ain't, but it sure beats Richard Harris.

Classy chill-out anthology follows hit formula