Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's album, I Feel Like Playing, is anything but a solo effort.
Taking its name (and cover) from a vibrant artwork by Ronnie Wood, I Feel Like Playing contains an element of swagger familiar to those who have followed a man who first came to prominence in the Jeff Beck Group, then the Faces, then the Rolling Stones, who invited him to join in 1975.
Given the longevity of his rock career, Wood has made a fair few friends along the way, some of whom appear more than a few times here; modern guitar god Slash, for instance, contributes to five tracks, while Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea lends a hand on a few tracks, as do Billy Gibbons, Bobby Womack, Eddie Vedder and others.
Wood's voice is surprisingly good, particularly on opening track Why You Wanna Go And Do A Thing Like That For, on which he sounds like a more ragged Bob Dylan, and Spoonful, which evokes the more recent roots-reggae-rock of Ben Harper (a case of what goes around comes around).
• Soundgarden's warts-and-all best-of, Telephantasm, is a reminder of the power and complexity of Seattle's sonic behemoths.
Recently reunited, Soundgarden have released a 24-song retrospective that is timely in an era in which music-making has devolved into game-show theatrics.
Telephantasm is a window into a world of inventive interaction.
Forget the grunge tag so readily applied to so many American bands of the early 1990s; this is simply good rock, though not so simply played.
Lesser-known early releases such as All Your Lies and Hunted Down are presented in the context of the group's evolution; compare those tracks' lo-fi approach with the ethereal intro of Black Hole Sun or the rhythmic shifts of Spoonman and a picture emerges of a band always looking to push the envelope in terms of technique and texture.
To cap off a comprehensive package, 20 music videos (some of which were unreleased) are squeezed on to a bonus DVD.
