Reviews of the latest music releases (From News Shopper)

Record from The Association, Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Tom Russell

3:19pm Tuesday 20th December 2011 in Music By Kevin Bryan

Kevin Bryan reviews the latest music releases.

The Association: Waterbeds in Trinidad ***

THIS American band's gently harmonised brand of soft-rock never really struck a responsive chord with record buyers on this side of the Atlantic, although readers with very long memories may recall their classic mid-60s hits such as Along Comes Mary and Windy.

The original seven piece line-up of The Association were on the verge of calling it a day when Waterbeds in Trindad was released in 1972 but they put together a typically polished set nonetheless, blending original material with fine covers of songs such as John Sebastian's "Darling Be Home Soon" and the late great John Stewart's "Little Road And A Stone To Roll.

Out now (Rev-Ola CR REV 214: £7.99)

Against Me!: White Crosses/Black Crosses ****

THIS energised outfit hail from Gainesville in Florida, beginning life in 1997 firmly wedded to the punk ethos before gradually morphing into prime purveyors of anthemic stadium rock.

These compelling musical tributes didn't prevent Against Me! from being jettisoned by Sire Records last year however, and they now find themselves part of the Xtra Mile roster on this side of the Atlantic, where their fifth studio set, White Crosses has just been re-issued with the addition of a second disc featuring alternate versions of the album tracks alongside several hitherto unreleased songs.

I Was A Teenage Anarchist and the rampaging title track capture the undiluted essence of the quartet's visceral approach to music-making.

Out now (Xtra Mile Recordings: £8.99)

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Wolfroy Goes To Town ****

THE prolific Will Oldham is a singer-songwriter whose unique creative vision has sheltered behind a number of musical alter egos over the years, including the Palace Brothers and Bonnie "Prince" Billy.

Will's latest Domino album is arguably his finest piece of work since the late 90s, and although his world view may not be a particularly sunny or optimistic one there's still much to admire in bleakly memorable tracks such as There Will Be Spring, New Tibet and We Are Unhappy.

Out now (Domino Records: £7.99)

Walter Gieseking: Debussy - Complete Works for Piano ****

WALTER Gieseking was widely regarded as the foremost Debussy interpreter of his era, and this inexpensive 4-CD set brings together the Lyon born pianist's archive recordings of the French compser's complete keyboard repertoire.

Gieseking applied his formidable instrumental technique to Debussy's uniquely impressionistic creations in a series of peerless performances which have acquired legendary status over the years, including much loved works such as the Preludes and Etudes.

Out now (Regis RRC 4010: £10.94)

Tom Russell: Mesabi *****

RUSSELL'S new Proper album finds the acclaimed singer-songwriter exploring the myth of Hollywood celebrity via a string of utterly captivating songs inhabited by the likes of James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, as well as lesser known, but in many ways much more interesting, figures such as character actor Sterling Hayden and Bobby Driscoll, the child star who provided the voice for Walt Disney's Peter Pan but faded into obscurity with the onset of adulthood and died in New York in 1968 at the age of just 31.

Tom also pays homage to his greatest poetic inspiration by covering Dylan's prophetic A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall in an epic nine minute duet with Lucinda Williams, setting the seal on one of the most compelling collections that devotees of Americana will be likely to come across in this or any other year.

Out now (Proper PRPCD 088: £9.79)