Los Angeles rock band Beauty School Dropout continue thrilling their growing legion of fans with “Two Of Us,” the latest single from their forthcoming debut album ‘Where Did All The Butterflies Go?’ out now and produced by acclaimed producer Neal Avron who’s worked with Fall Out Boy, twenty one pilots and Linkin Park. The propulsive, in your face rocker doubles as a fiery love song with lead singer Colie Hutzler delivering unbridled passion as she belts lyrics about wanting faith over physical connection. The band comprised of Hutzler, Beepus, Bardo and Colton Flurry dropped a wet and wild official music video alongside the single, finding the group firing on all cylinders in the midst of a torrential downpour that matches the song’s intensity perfectly. Hutzler describes the track as a love song or lack thereof meant to be equally heavy hearted and a journey of banging synths, wailing guitars and pulsing dynamics.
Beauty School Dropout’s catalog including their heralded first two releases ‘We Made Plans And God Laughed’ and ‘Ready To Eat’ have amassed over 90 million streams globally and more than five million views on YouTube to date. Major outlets like Billboard, Alternative Press, SPIN, NME, Grammy.com, Kerrang and Rock Sound have all praised the band’s work, and “Two Of Us” proves they’re ready to take things to the next level with their debut full length. This is rock music that refuses to play it safe, blending raw emotion with sonic firepower that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the final note fades out.
Detroit emcee Courtney Bell makes a powerful return with “Everyday,” an honest and introspective track exposing the emotional weight of routine and the quiet fight to change, out now via MNRK Music Group. The single marks the first release from his upcoming album ‘It Gets Greater Later’ arriving soon, and the cinematic video directed by visionary filmmaker Diego captures everything this record stands for. Inspired by Groundhog Day, the visual follows Courtney reliving the same day over and over, waking up and falling into the same habits, numbing the same pain through smoking, drinking, zoning out and crashing. Each restart brings new details and small cracks in the pattern, and with every loop he inches closer to clarity until the cycle finally breaks. Courtney explains the song came from a place where every day felt like the last, stuck in the same habits and chasing the same highs while avoiding the silence, and facing that reality became the moment everything started to shift for him.
Producer and singer songwriter Mar Emanuel just released ‘Almost!’ across all music platforms, showcasing his talents from singing and songwriting to instrumentation, storytelling and producing in one stunning package. Blending smooth vocals with hypnotic R&B textures, the album captures Mar’s transformational life experiences over the last two years with layered production, raw lyrical honesty and sounds ranging from deep tones to light childlike play. The entire project was written, recorded and mastered in Mar’s home studio in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, featuring collaborations with vocalists Aaron Marcus and Kardias Quing plus guitarist Alvin Brendan. Mar made a conscious decision to collaborate more with musicians he respects and appreciates in his city, prioritizing personal and emotional connections with his collaborators to produce music he’s genuinely proud of.
Jim Henson and his dog Jojo went deep behind the scenes during a 1989 episode of The Jim Henson Hour called “Secrets of the Muppets,” giving viewers an exclusive tour of The Jim Henson Creature Shop that revealed the incredible puppeteers operating the world famous Muppets. The scene turned wonderfully rowdy as the puppeteers worked their characters while simultaneously appearing on camera themselves, creating this beautiful chaos that perfectly captured the energy and creativity flowing through the workshop.
Henson walked through the innovative techniques that brought the Muppets to life, showcasing everything from computer generated backgrounds to advanced puppetry methods that were pushing boundaries in 1989. This rare documentary episode remains a treasure for anyone who wants to see how the magic really happened, with Henson as the perfect guide through a world where imagination and technical brilliance collided to create characters that changed entertainment forever.
Luthier extraordinaire Burl just dropped jaws with his second newspaper guitar, and this time he went absolutely massive with 1,600 misprinted newspaper sheets pressed into one stunning instrument. That’s more than twice the paper from his first build, and the results speak for themselves with a spiral star pattern emerging naturally from the compressed grain. Using a 3D printed mold gave Burl the precision to create a custom fit that transforms recycled materials into a fully functional guitar that looks like nothing else out there, proving once again that the best instruments come from minds willing to experiment and push every boundary in sight.
Grammy nominated artist Hayes Carll has released ‘We’re Only Human’ , marking his most introspective and reflective work in a celebrated career built on character narratives and clever perspectives. The new collection turns the mirror back on himself for an extraordinarily thoughtful and personal set of songs that brim with his signature blend of pensive lyrics, grit and just the right touch of sardonic wit. The cheerful video for “Good People (Thank Me)” dropped alongside the album, featuring Carll performing at multiple intimate venues as a duo with his fervent audiences and even some staffers more than happy to join him in an engaging call and response. Carll explains the track offers both a chance to receive a heartfelt thank you and give one, a small but meaningful way to lift each other up.
The long awaited follow up to 2021’s critically acclaimed ‘You Get It All’ finds the Nashville artist creating songs that allow listeners to see themselves through his lens while simultaneously offering his most vulnerable and honest work to date.
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Muscle Shoals has always punched far above its weight. But now, the tiny Alabama town that became the unlikely epicenter of southern soul, R&B and rock is flexing in a big way.
Nashville’s Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum just opened the doors on its fantastic new exhibit Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising. The landmark show celebrates the beloved ‘Muscle Shoals Sound‘ — a swampy mix of deep grooves, funky basslines, rich keyboards and punchy horns that fuelled hundreds of immortal songs and albums over decades — and honours the singers, songwriters, studio musicians, producers and entrepreneurs who conjured it into being like so much sonic alchemy in the freewheeling ’60s. And I was the only Canadian journalist in the room. I got to preview the exhibit, tour Muscle Shoals’ landmark studios, and attend a star-studded VIP launch, which included a slate of incredible performances. More on those in a bit, but first, back to the exhibit:
Painstakingly and lovingly curated and assembled over the course of years, the 5,000-square-foot display is, like the rest of the museum, a treasure trove of prized, priceless artifacts and memorabilia. Including:
• The piano Aretha Franklin played on her breakthrough hit I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You).
• Vintage instruments played by the legendary session band The Swampers, who backed Franklin on that single and others. It was the first of countless hits they helped create for a musical who’s who that includes Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Paul Simon, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Cher, Bob Seger, Bobbie Gentry, Boz Scaggs and scores more.
• A Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster played by slide-guitar hero Duane Allman, who worked with artists like Pickett and Franklin before forming The Allman Brothers Band.
• Stage clothes worn by The Staple Singers — who cut their civil-rights era anthems I’ll Take You There and Respect Yourself at Muscle Shoals Sound — along with outfits sported by Pickett, Franklin and others.
• Instruments played by more recent local heroes like Drive-By Truckers (whose singer-guitarist Patterson Hood is the son of Swampers bassist David Hood, the sole surviving member of the crew) and Jason Isbell (who also loaned his grandfather’s banjo to the exhibit).
• Scores of documents, manuscripts, photographs, classic video footage, new footage and vintage records that chronicle one of the most fertile and unforgettable periods in contemporary music history.
Not surprisingly, it’s all been one long labour of love for curator Michael Gray, VP of museum services. “We got officially greenlighted about three years ago, but really, we’ve been working toward it for a long time — going all the way back to 2010, 2011,” he says. On a personal level, his dedication goes back even further — all the way to high school, when he first heard and fell in love with the Muscle Shoals Sound and started learning the story behind the music.
For those who aren’t up to speed, the exhibit covers a lot of that too. Naturally, if you want the whole (sometimes-sordid) saga, you’d be better off with a book or the definitive 2013 documentary Muscle Shoals. But in a nutshell, the scene started when irascible maverick Rick Hall opened FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) Studios in 1960, determined to finally make his mark in music after years of frustration and failure. Soon, the funky grooves and earthy sound emanating from his studio and its musicians lured the likes of Franklin, Pickett, Allman, Otis Redding, Etta James and more down to the sleepy southern community — along with Atlantic Records’ hard-nosed executive Jerry Wexler, who started spreading the sound around the world. Hall’s dream had finally come true.
But then came the rude awakening. Hall’s controlling, uncompromising ways eventually drove away Wexler. Worse, it soured his relationship with The Swampers — guitarist Jimmy Johnson, bassist Hood, drummer Roger Hawkins and keyboardist Barry Beckett. Having graduated from local house band to in-demand session players, they balked at signing an exclusive contract with Hall, opting to take their ball and open their own Muscle Shoals Sound studio a couple of miles down the road. After having Cher as their first customer — her 1969 album 3614 Jackson Highway borrowed the studio’s address for its title, and pictured the building on its cover — they soon had their own celebrity client list, topped by The Rolling Stones, who dropped in mid-tour the same year to cut Brown Sugar, Wild Horses and You Gotta Move for Sticky Fingers. (Fun fact: The bill for Wild Horses totalled $1,009, mostly for studio time at the princely sum of $65 per hour.)
Gray says both FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound were gracious enough to throw open the vaults and files for the exhibitors, and to give them access to important pieces of equipment. That’s especially impressive when you consider that both facilities are still working studios that host contemporary artists like The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket,St. Paul & The Broken Bones and more (and remain surprisingly economical and available for venues with such rich legacies and storied histories).
“Rick Hall’s son Rodney and wife Linda are just so kind and helpful and just loaned us anything we wanted,” Gray says. “They even let us come into the studio and film interviews there. Granted, when we asked them about the Aretha piano, they had to talk about it for a minute. I mean, they give their own tours there, you know? But when we assured them that it would be the centerpiece of the exhibit and we would take great care of it, they said, ‘All right, come get it.’ ”
Musicians like Isbell were just as generous, he says. “People just kept showing up at every turn. We didn’t know necessarily what Jason was going to give us. And then he’s like, ‘Hey, you know, my grandfather played this banjo every day of his life, and these are my roots. I would love to let you have it.’ And we just said, ‘We’ll take it!’ ”
Isbell’s generosity and commitment continued at Thursday night’s VIP launch. As a few hundred VIPs, movers / shakers and media were wined and dined with open bars and southern-fried fare like okra, grits and sausage sliders, Isbell — a musical prodigy who grew up near Muscle Shoals — dug into the studios’ back catalog, playing solo acoustic covers of Arthur Alexander’s You Better Move On, Paul Simon’s Kodachrome and The Rolling Stones’ Wild Horses. Also on the musical menu: Singer-songwriter Dan Penn and MVP pianist Spooner Oldham, who teamed up on the former’s I’m Your Puppet; and vocalist Bettye LaVette, who sang an abbreviated version of George Jones’ Choices backed by Oldham. All of them (except Isbell) will also take part in a full-scale opening concert Friday night, along with Jimmy Hall, Tiera Kennedy, Wendy Moten, Maggie Rose, Shenandoah, Candi Staton, John Paul White and a crew of Muscle Shoals session players (including some latter-day Swampers).
The exhibit itself runs until March 2028, so you’ve got some time to plan your visit. But personally, I wouldn’t wait. I would also recommend you include a trip to Muscle Shoals in your itinerary so you can get the full picture (and eat some incredible food; the town also punches above its weight on the culinary side).
Come back to read more about my Alabama adventures in a few days, but for now, listen to a playlist of Muscle Shoals classics below and check out video clips from the exhibit and the VIP launch above.
Two forward thinking Mexican talents unite as Houston’s Ape Drums and Mexico City’s Luch unveil “FFM,” a sleek late night groove sitting perfectly at the intersection of melodic Afro house and meditative dance music. First previewed during the duo’s JAAM session at Caracas Bakery in Miami, the track builds with patient intensity before dissolving into a calm yet rapid drop that showcases both artists at their creative peak. Ape Drums, a core member of the globally renowned trio Major Lazer, brings his decade of experience shaping modern dance music with production credits spanning collaborations with Diplo, Sean Paul, Randy and co-writing BLACKPINK’s recent number one global hit “JUMP.” His recent solo singles “Into My Ocean,” “For Your Love” and “Like Dat (Remix)” have earned championing from tastemakers across the electronic and Latin dance spectrum, proving his sound fuses global rhythms with sharp minimalism and undeniable groove. Meanwhile, 6x RIAA Platinum certified Luch arrives with the kind of refined atmospheric production that’s propelled him from Mexico City’s underground to iconic stages worldwide, earning support from Keinemusik, Black Coffee and RÜFÜS DU SOL along the way.
At just 24, Luch has already racked up hundreds of millions of streams and performed everywhere from the Pyramids of Giza to Mexico City’s Palacio de los Deportes, plus stages in Ibiza, London, Dubai, Miami and New York. His journey began early, DJing by 8, producing by 12, and ghost producing for established acts by 14 before signing to Axident’s Honua Publishing at 19. Ape Drums, born Eric Alberto-Lopez in Houston, fell in love with music as a kid obsessively dissecting cassette tapes and teaching himself song structure long before having proper gear. “FFM” captures the balance between intimacy and expansiveness with percussive elements that fizzle and pulse beneath the surface, creating tension without overwhelming as Ape Drums anchors the rhythm while Luch weaves in atmospheric detail. This collaboration proves Mexican artistry has a powerful voice in global dance culture, rooted in shared identity yet expansive enough to move crowds anywhere in the world.
Toronto singer songwriter Sarah Vanderzon dropped her debut single “Are You With Me” back in August, the first taste of her EP ‘Fortune Teller’ which arrived October 17th. The sweet and soulful track showcases Vanderzon’s impressive vocal control and range as she glides through the musical landscape with effortless grace. Originally written as an open letter to her partner, the song explores the reality of a musician’s life spent traveling between venues, sometimes packed and sometimes empty, asking whether love can survive the constant motion. Vanderzon describes her EP as what a first date should feel like, honest and easy going, and “Are You With Me” became an instant crowd favourite when she tested it at live shows.
The debut EP ‘Fortune Teller’ introduced a fresh voice in the Americana, folk and country space, revealing Vanderzon’s stylistic versatility and dedication to her craft. After winning the 2024 Emerging Artists Showcase at Boots & Hearts, she signed with Universal Music Canada and returned to perform at the festival on The Front Porch stage. Sarah and her self proclaimed Vanderband also took the stage at Montreal’s LASSO music festival in August, marking the beginning of an exciting upward trajectory for this talented newcomer who’s proving she knows how to carve her own path in the current music scene.
Grammy winning producer and emcee Evidence is building anticipation for ‘Unlearning Vol. 2’ with his final release single “Dutch Angle,” out now through Rhymesayers Entertainment. Produced by QThree with a video directed by Stephen Vanasco, the track takes its name from a cinematography technique where tilted camera angles create disorientation and tension, and the visual leans fully into this moody aesthetic that mirrors Evidence’s introspective approach.
The song captures his deep connection to Los Angeles through dim, atmospheric production while delivering lines that speak to the album’s core themes of reinvention and perspective shifts. The album arrives loaded with heavyweight production from Evidence, The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, Graymatter, C-Lance, QThree, Sebb Bash, Beat Butcha and Coop The Truth, plus guest appearances from The Alchemist, Larry June, Domo Genesis, Blu and Theravada. Previous singles have already set the stage beautifully, including “Rain Every Season” with The Alchemist, “Outta Bounds” with another Stephen Vanasco directed video, “Different Phases” produced by Beat Butcha and Coop The Truth with visuals from SHEESH, and “Nothing To See Here” which Evidence directed himself with cinematography by Louis Llewellyn.
This is Evidence at his most vulnerable and confident, crafting a smoky journey through grief, growth and fearless artistic evolution that proves he’s still pushing boundaries and redefining what hip hop introspection can sound like.
