Howard Jones,”Live in Japan” (Cherry Red)- This splendid audio-visual package from the good people at Cherry Red takes astute purchasers on an enjoyable jaunt down memory lane as it revives Howard Jones’ concert at Tokyo’s NHK Hall in September 1984. The trail blazing synth pop specialist may have enjoyed a relatively brief period in the limelight during the mid eighties but he was able to notch up ten Top 40 singles between 1983 and 1986 and some of his most memorable creations are given an airing here, including “Like To Get To Know You Well,” “New Song” and “What Is Love?”

Sam Brown,”Number 8” ( Dunmore Ltd.)-The soulful daughter of British rock veteran Joe Brown enjoyed a fairly consistent run of chart success during her early years as a solo performer, but the loss of her singing voice in 2007 seemed to have brought her performing career to a premature end. Hope springs eternal however, and the wonders of modern technology have helped Sam to assemble her first studio album for many a long year in the shape of “Number 8.” The contents were recorded remotely, with Sam and her songwriting partner Danny Schogger taking advantage of the Melodyne programme to manipulate her vocal contributions on stand-out tracks such as “Doll” and “Tribe.”

Man,”Life On The Road-On Air 1972-1983” (Cherry Red/Esoteric) -Man may have begun life in the Welsh town of Merthyr Tydfil during the mid sixties but their spiritual home was always the west coast of America, where they drew creative inspiration from the freewheeling musical exploits of legendary outfits such as Quicksilver Messenger Service. This splendid six disc set draws on the radio sessions and live shows that the various incarnations of this criminally under appreciated band made for the BBC during the period between 1972 and 1983, serving up several versions of perennial crowd pleasers such as “Romain,” Bananas” and “C’Mon” in the process.