Grown 2pm

David Byrne, like fellow New York transplant David Bowie, has reached a well-deserved apex in his career. After eight post-Talking Heads solo outings, the eccentric composer, songwriter, artist, and world music entrepreneur has transcended the inconsistencies of his previous efforts and created a genuinely moving and wickedly fun record. Like Bowie's Heathen and Reality, Grown Backwards is a mature work by an icon who has come to terms with his past, present, and future, and there's a joy in the simple act of creativity here that gives even the heaviest of subject matter an effervescent charm…

With his new 2012 release All Grown Up, Shilts has raised the bar yet again. With ten original tracks of soul, jazz, RnB & funk, the tenor sax maestro brings his influences and experience with some high energy hooks and sweet jazzy melodies. The writing is fresh and creative and captures Shilts at his best, along with some of LA's top session musicians. Also featured is Oscar® and Grammy Award® nominated songstress Siedah Garrett on the sweet and uplifting song “Got Love.” This album is sure to be one of the big hits of 2012.

This 1997 concert marked the first time that vocalist Sheila Jordan and bassist Cameron Brown had performed live as a duo. Nerves aside, they had their Belgian audience captivated from the opening of the set. Jordan improvises much like a horn with her interesting choices of notes as she sings the lyrics to standards like "The Very Thought of You," while Brown is also a superb musician, comping perfectly for her and launching on inventive solo flights of his own.

Underground, heavy-psych rock Texas classic with impressive, tight sound and some rural and progressive leanings. Album is full of complex songs, great dual guitar work, fine vocals and busy drumming - with some tasty, mellotron sounds. Homer LP was originally released in 1970 on tiny label and today in near mint condition is worth over 800 dollars! This remastered issue was prepared with great care from the original source (in opposite to the previous, compressed and tacky editions) and sounds really great!

With their roots traced in two legendary '60s garage bands, The Outcasts and The Stoics, Homer were without doubt one of the best psychedelic/hard-rock outfits from Texas. Grown in U.S.A. was their only album, released as a private pressing in 1970. Rural psychedelic rock with early prog hints fuelled by stunning lead/dual guitar, melodic vocals and occasional mellotron. The 2002 CD reissue on Akarma adds two tracks from a non-LP 1970.

Pulsing Afro-Latin roots and UK jazz combine on Grown, the latest album by London-based quintet Waaju, released via Olindo Records. Fusing dexterous hand-percussion, hypnotic guitar riffs and soaring melodies, Waaju connect a wide range of traditional musics percolating at different corners of the global soundscape yet with a distinctly of-the-moment and British jazz flavour…