The latest releases reviewed

DR FEELGOOD Live in London Grand **

What's in a name? Pre-1976, Dr Feelgood represented the zenith of the UK/London pub rock experience - if you ever wanted to see and hear a band that mixed split lips with spilt booze to a background of boisterous, tightasaduck'syouknowwhat rhythm'n'blues, then this Canvey Island act was most definitely for you. Sadly, there are no original members in this 2005 version, and while the band can certainly cut it live in a rough and ready manner, those who were lucky enough to see the definitive front -of-stage line-up of vocalist Lee Brilleaux and rhythm/lead (at the same time!) guitarist Wilko Johnson will know that something distinctive and truly authentic is missing. Extra features include a documentary and a brief interview with Johnson. www.drfeelgood.org

Tony Clayton-Lea

VARIOUS High Tech Soul Plexifilm  ****

While there have been many attempts to explain how and why Detroit became intertwined with techno's curves and twists, few have told this tale as well as Gary Bredow. It helps, of course, that the director is one of the first to put this tale on film and make use of readily available archive material. But while Bredow's hour-long documentary rounds up the usual seminal suspects, he also digs a little deeper than his peers into the social, political and economic fabric of the industrially depleted Motor City. After all, argues the director, the citywide riots in the 1960s had as much influence on the music of The Belleville Three (Juan Atkins, Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson) as any amount of Kraftwerk imports. With excellent footage from various clubs and festivals, together with anecdotal interviews with all the major players, Bredow has produced a flick every jot as engrossing as the music that goes with it. www.hightechsoul.com

Jim Carroll