The Boy In The Sailor Suit: Dave Cousins & The Blue Angel Orchestra (Witchwood Media).

Dave Cousins, best known as the lead singer of The Strawbs, who scored hits in the 1970s with Lay Down and Part Of The Union, has been on the road a lot in recent years with both acoustic and electric sets.

It seems to have inspired him because his new album contains some of the best material for years.

He is backed by some great musicians, including Miller Anderson, whose fretwork is excellent; Ian Cutler on fiddle and Strawbs man Chas Cronk on bass.

The album opens with the lively Never Take Sweets From A Stranger, a catchy song with a ghostly theme and a terrific guitar break.

Mellow Moon is a gentle ballad, while The Smile You Left Behind is full of pathos and regret.

Calling Out My Name has the acoustic lilt of Strawbs songs like I Only Want My Love To Grow In You, while Mother Luck and Lonely Days, Lonely Nights show Cousins is not afraid to rock out.

Wish You Were Here has a whimsical Edwardian feel, full of the atmosphere of old seaside towns with their tinted, pastel shades'; Skip To My Lou is classic folk-rock and the hymnal Bringing in The Harvest would not be out of place in many churches at the back end of summer.

With Hellfire Blues - a Dylanesque blues workout - closing the album, The Boy In The Sailor Suit shows a huge amount of variety.

Strawbs fans will love it - and those who are not familiar with the band will find much to admire from a singer-songwriter with years of experience.