Richard Olney

While Nashville assumes its prominent stature as Music City, not all of the singer-songwriters fit this template. In the past, this mecca has endured strained relations with folk heroes like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, only to embrace them later. In this tradition of free spirits, Phil Lee may be a fit. Described as a “knife-thrower, raconteur, rapscallion and bon vivant”, his career highlights read like a warped, Beat Generation country/blues rebel. Included in the resume is driving a truck for Neil Young, playing in an early ‘70s band with Beverly D’Angelo, a soundtrack gig with Jack Neitzche, and a spot with the re-formed Flying Burrito Brothers.

Michael Portillo takes to the tracks with a copy of George Bradshaw's Victorian Railway Guidebook. He travels the length and breadth of the country to see how the railways changed us, and what of Bradshaw's Britain remains.

Remembered as the father of modern horror, H.P. Lovecraft is best known for tales of terror, cosmic abominations and especially his most famous creation, the dreaded Cthulhu! Few realize, however, the true creative breadth and depth spanned by Lovecraft, who penned stories of horror but also of fantasy, science fiction and even humor. Within this Mythos series, writer Brandon Barrows and artist Hugo Petrus go beyond tentacles and evil gods to explore the rare corners and the myriad worlds created by H.P. Lovecraft! This issue: "Pickman's Model" - Richard Pickman, an artist of notoriously-ghastly works so horrifying that he's been ostracized from Boston's artistic society, knows the anatomy of fear better than anyone else alive - but how? "The Strange High House in the Mist" - Thomas Olney, a jaded philosopher, has a obsession: the strange, mist-shrouded house on the cliffs above Kingsport. When he can stand his curiosity no longer, he sets out to visit the house.

2-CD set. Covers of Townes songs, issued by the Italian record label Appaloosa Records. Cover art is by Sam Baker. This is a marvellous Townes covers album with many, many stand-out versions among the 32 song selection.