The tenth Grand Magus album and their first concept record, Sunraven is a return to the heavy metal might of Wolf God and Sword Songs, but with an underlying story adding greater depth to the Swedes' earthy bombast. Made manifest via a grandiose production, inspired by the revered Old English epic poem of Beowulf.
In true heavy metal style, these nine new songs dive deep into heroic fantasy, but with the same real-world resonances that are scorched into the genre's calloused skin.

34-year old guitarist, composer, and bandleader Jacob Young hails from Oslo, Norway, making him a natural for Manfred Eicher's ECM label. Young was educated at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, where he studied under Jim Hall and privately with John Abercrombie. Young's warm, rounded tone indicates a debt to the former while his wide harmonic palette owes to the latter; but his extended melodic vocabulary, gorgeous phrasing, and notions of group interplay are his own. What is immediately startling about Evening Falls is its lyricism; it doesn't sound like a guitarist's date. Young's compositions reflect song, paying careful attention to nuance and dynamic. There is plenty of room for improvisation and group interplay - with veteran drummer Jon Christensen, trumpeter Mathias Eick, bass clarinettist and saxophonist Vidar Johansen, and bassist Mats Eilertsen - around melodic invention…

From 1975 until 1978, Embryo played at the Vlotho ”Umsonst und draussen” festival every year. Their concert from July 1977 on the sports ground, figuring as festival site, in front of about 26,000 people was recorded professionally by Ulrich Wilkening, operating the soundboard. The recording has been preserved till this day. In fact unreleased, except for the track, ”Getalongwithasong”, which appeared on the double LP ”Umsonst und draußen - Vlotho 77” back then, and later as well on the 4CD box “Aufbrüche”. Here is now the whole Embryo gig of that festival, in the well-known Embryo style: jazz-rock influenced by world music. The sound is excellent, as is to be expected from an expert.

Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis.

Exile is probably the first album to see him firmly on the path, following-up the career reviving and direction-resurging Sacrifice. Musically dark and moody with touches of techno and goth, it's the lyrics here that truly set the tone. It's a far cry from some of his earlier work. After his innovative and coherent music of the late '70s and early '80s, Numan had taken up residence in the musical doldrums with album after album of little consequence. 1994's Sacrifice proved he wasn't too far gone, and was a wonderful return to relevance. Exile, meanwhile, took it all a step further, and is likely where he would have ended up had he never gone astray in the first place. By far his darkest album up to that point, and a wonderful contrast to the dark-in-its-own-right Replicas from 18 years earlier.

Glitz, nostalgia, and deep emotional resonance - Elvis' last show at the Memphis Coliseum was a whirlwind rendition of the icon's hits and testament to just how important a musical icon he is. Still an unmatched showman, there were signs of his declining health, which provided a poignant undertone to the performance. Elvis's voice remained a powerful and emotive instrument, capable of stirring the crowd either through his raw energy or tender emotion. Homespun brings you this WCBS-FM live radio broadcast of his show at Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee on July 5th 1976 for your listening pleasure.

James Brown -Stars Ballroom, The Hotel Bradford, Boston, MA December 18th 1977.
James Brown's performance at the Stars Ballroom at the Hotel Bradford in Boston on December 18, 1971, is a quintessential display of his talent as "The Godfather of Soul." By 1971, Brown had solidified his reputation as a cultural icon, especially in the Black community. His performances carried weight beyond entertainment, serving as a celebration of pride and resilience during a turbulent era in American history. This show was part of a nationwide tour and took place during an era when Brown's music was transitioning towards funk, with hits like "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" and "Soul Power" dominating the airwaves. Brown was known for his high-energy shows, and this performance is no exception. Backed by the J.B.'s, his tight-knit band, Brown delivers electrifying renditions of his hits. Homespun brings you this live radio broadcast from WBCN-FM for your listening pleasure.