All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.
Halestorm, Lindsey Sterling, and Apocalyptica at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage on September 19, 2025
Kansas City Rock Band World Engine Unleash Genre-Bending Debut ‘Coded Names’
Kansas City based rock band World Engine just released their first record of the year and their first full length album, Coded Names. The eight-song record mixes loud guitars, spacey synths, and straight-from-the-heart lyrics, showing off the group’s love for both old-school rock and modern sounds.
The album opens with, “Cerebellum”, a song that starts with the sound of wind and radio static before the full instrumentation carries it onward. The song has plenty of energy, setting the mood for the album right away. Halfway through, “In the Rain” makes its entrance. It starts with the sound of falling rain, then bursts into huge guitars and powerful vocal work. The song has a grit that fans of guitar driven rock will love. The closer, “Step Away,” eases things down with a sentimental feel that sends listeners off on a good note.
World Engine formed in 2020 and includes singer Tristan Clemons, guitarist Zach St. Denis, drummer/keyboard player Alex Brezik, and bassist Callum Duncan. They first made noise with their EP Orbit, and now Coded Names takes things up a notch. Producers Justin Mantooth and Andy Oxman helped shape a sound that’s bold, and full of life.
“We attempted to make something for everyone and blended many genres to fit our own sound” the band says. They accomplished their goal and have delivered an album uniquely their own.
Ray Charles’ Long-Out-of-Print ‘Love Country Style’ Returns in Tangerine Master Series
Ray Charles long out of print “Love Country Style” is set to be reissued by Tangerine Records on October 24th. Founded by Ray Charles in the 1960s, Tangerine Records is proud to celebrate the 17x GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, and pianist’s singular legacy with the Tangerine Master Series, a new slate of reissues highlighting Charles’ best-known music alongside classic records long out of print, and ready for rediscovery.
Each album has been restored and remastered under the direct supervision of The Ray Charles Foundation, painting a vivid new portrait of an artist and icon whose impact continues to expand and inspire.
The Tangerine Master Series continues with today’s release of Charles’ long-overdue reissue of 1963’s milestone Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul, available now at all DSPs, on CD, and vinyl for the first time in more than half a century. A top 10 stew of jazz, soul, and pop standards highlighted by the GRAMMY Award-winning, top 5 hit, “Busted,” as well as the top 20 favorite, “That Old Lucky Sun,” Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul made it abundantly clear that by the 1960s, Ray Charles didn’t so much ignore genres, but had become a genre unto himself. Bootlegged across Europe for decades, this is the first and only legitimate reissue of this essential album on vinyl – as well as its first appearance on CD since the 1990s – now fully restored and remastered with the full cooperation of the Ray Charles Foundation
Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul follows the Tangerine Master Series’ recent release of a newly remastered edition of 1974’s Come Live With Me, a blend of pop and gospel-infused soul that sees Charles demonstrating his unmatched versatility available now at all DSPs and on vinyl for the first time in over 50 years; a CD edition arrives on Friday, September 26.
Next up in the Tangerine Master Series is 1970’s out-of-print classic Love Country Style, available for the first time since its original release, on Friday, October 24.
A fan favorite that’s one of the finest examples of Charles’ crossover work, Love Country Style is the most soulful of his country records, as well as arguably the album that’s the most connected to the current sound of today’s country superstars. The album finds Charles once again embracing his love for the genre by delivering heartfelt renditions of songs by Mickey Newbury and Jimmy Webb with his signature blend of soul and sophistication. Backed by lush gospel-tinged arrangements, songs like his iconic version of “Ring of Fire” and “Don’t Change On Me” (which hit the top 20 at R&B as well as the overall top 40) highlight Charles’s unrivaled ability to transform country standards into something unmistakably his own. Out of print since its original release more than 50 years ago, Love Country Style now finally returns, fully restored and remastered in cooperation with the Ray Charles Foundation.
“Love Country Style, released in June 1970, drinks deeply from the country music well of genius, but is as rhythm-and-blues-rooted as it is in the countrypolitan idiom,” writes author/DJ/cultural critic Ayana Contreras in an exclusive essay penned expressly for this new reissue. “[The album] draws from top-shelf country material from ‘Ring Of Fire’ (written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore and popularized by Johnny Cash) to ‘I Keep It Hid’ (penned by Jimmy Webb, known for his classics ‘Wichita Lineman’ and ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’). Both tracks are nothing short of revelations. In his hands, ‘Ring Of Fire’ is cast as a chorus of half-breathless seduction well-suited for an isolated mid-century modern motel somewhere in the high desert of the American Southwest.
“Charles went on to release four more well-received country albums during his career…And although Modern Sounds Vol. I was nominated for Album of the Year, and Charles went on to ultimately win 17 GRAMMYs in his lifetime (in rhythm & blues, gospel, and pop), a Country Music-specific GRAMMY win eluded him…. Love Country Style remains as a testament. The album embodies Charles’s ability to cross genres with ease, weaving country traditions into his R&B and gospel sensibility. In doing so, he left a lasting imprint on the soundscape of American popular music.”
Kojey Radical Drops Bold Sophomore Album ‘Don’t Look Down’
East London’s own multi-hyphenate artist and rapper Kojey Radical releases his sophomore album, Don’t Look Down, via Asylum Records UK/Warner Music UK. Stream the album here.
The project boasts an impressive roster of collaborators, including Ghetts, Bawo, MNEK, Dende, James Vickery, Planet Giza, Cristale, Benjamin A.D, Col3trane, SOLOMON, Victor Ray, Jaz Karis, and Chrissi. 16 tracks long, Don’t Look Down is a musically rich and deeply introspective reflection on the shifting tides, lows, and joys that have passed through his life since his emergence into the public eye.
Set among an arresting musical backdrop, brimming with soul and vivid instrumentation, is a story of loss and renewal, hedonism and celebrity, fatherhood and friendship. Sonically, the album provides the most experimental and eclectic music of his career, with influences ranging from golden age Hip Hop to disco, grime to Indie, Jazz to Ska. Together, these strings combine to give a pertinent insight into Kojey’s inner world, and a timestamp documenting the feelings, emotions, and experiences that arise when many reach the milestone of their 30s. Out of this personal, poetic rumination emerges something universal, a human story of losing your way and the journey to find yourself again. A relatable journey of reaching the milestone of your 30s without having life all the way figured out.
“I wanted to make this album more personal and more honest, we have to be able to accept that the messenger has flaws and all,” says Kojey. “So if I can’t give you me from a real perspective, as someone who hasn’t got it quite all the way figured out, then how are you supposed to trust me?”
For Kojey, Don’t Look Down captures the last few years of scaling professional and musical heights, and how that climb reshapes a person’s outlook and relationships. Success brings both the fear of falling and the fear of climbing higher, knowing how much there is to lose. Rooted in the shift that followed the enormous success of Reason to Smile (2022), the album reflects the transition into one’s 30s, when old anchors slip away and life reshapes itself, forcing you to find solid ground again. This tension threads through the record. On “Rotation” and “Life of the Party”, he wrestles with internal doubts: “I live in the fear of starting again and again… I don’t know who to trust / I got too many friends, being the life of the party,” he sings over Swindle, Ashton Sellars, and Emil’s production. “Conversation” deepens this theme, opening with a whisper: “Sometimes you’re too afraid to find out the party continues even after you leave.” He likens it to stepping out for air only to realize the sun is rising and the world has moved on, relationships too. Fatherhood emerges as one of the album’s most defining threads. On “Life of the Party” he reflects, “My little one just turned four, he look just like me / His mama pray he don’t grow up just like me.” On “Curtains”, he admits, “I hate that I hold onto trauma, twinning with the traits that I got from my father.” His son’s voice surfaces in recordings throughout, and the closing track “Baby Boy” with fellow East Londoner Ghetts brings the theme to a powerful close. Across four and a half minutes, he shares the joys and anxieties of fatherhood, hopes for his son, and reflections on the history that shapes their bond.
To accompany Don’t Look Down, Kojey has been sharing a short film with intimate audiences over the past few months. The piece stitches together three music videos-Rule One featuring Bawo, Conversation, and Baby Boy featuring Ghetts-into a seamless cinematic journey. Subtle cameos of album tracks “Expensive” and “Everyday” also slip into the narrative, enriching the experience with unexpected layers. Directed by Relta, the project grew from Kojey’s desire to reintroduce care and artistry into the music video format, inspired by the striking visuals he grew up watching. When offered the chance to make a standard video, Kojey resisted convention. Instead, he turned to Relta to craft something more ambitious, something that transcended the typical format. Shot almost entirely within the confines of four walls, the visuals capture both real-life moments and the intimacy of the album itself. The result reflects Kojey with disarming honesty, no bravado, no ego, just truth. Resonating deeply with audiences, the film explores themes of co-parenting, life after the party, self-reflection, and the fear of failure.
Rose’s Pawn Shop Release Gritty New Single “Darken My Door” Ahead of Upcoming Album
Acclaimed Americana roots band Rose’s Pawn Shop return today with their brand-new single, “Darken My Door”, a haunting blend of 70s blues/country grit, driven blues guitar, and the band’s signature fiddle-fueled fire. The track captures both the raw energy of their live shows and the seasoned storytelling of frontman Paul Givant, balancing urgency with reflection as it pushes their sound into bold new territory.
The song is the latest preview of American Seams, Rose’s Pawn Shop’s fifth studio album, produced by Grammy-nominated Eric Corne and recorded live-in-the-studio at Robby Krieger’s Love Street Sound in Los Angeles. Across the album, the band leans into their folk and bluegrass roots while embracing the amplified crunch of rock & roll and the reflective spirit of country songwriting. “Many elements of American Seams harken back to earlier Rose’s Pawn Shop,” says longtime bassist Stephen Andrews, “but we still found new territory to broaden our sound… tapping into some ’70s blues/country vibes on tracks like ‘Darken My Door.’”
For two decades, Rose’s Pawn Shop have evolved their version of modern-day American roots music. Formed by Givant in Los Angeles, the band began as a bluegrass-inspired outfit with punky tempos and rock & roll energy, before expanding their palette with the sweeping sonics of folk and country. Their hard-touring reputation has carried them from the fishing villages of Alaska to desert roadhouses and festival stages across the U.S., while earning praise from outlets like Rolling Stone (“a blast of 21st century pickin’-party music”) and GQ (“knee-slapping bluegrass-y twang”). Now celebrating their 20th year together, Rose’s Pawn Shop continue to stitch together the patchwork of American music with authenticity, grit, and heart.
Chick Corea’s Final Tour Captured on ‘Trilogy 3’ Out Now via Candid Records
Today, Candid Records and Chick Corea Productions released the CD and LP formats of the double live album Trilogy 3. In 2020, National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and jazz icon Chick Corea hit the road with his powerhouse trio of Christian McBride and Brian Blade, embarking on what would be Corea’s final tour. Produced and recorded by Bernie Kirsh, and mastered by Bernie Grundman, the recordings from those shows have been released as Trilogy 3, the third installment from this extraordinary group. The vinyl format is a double-disc LP in a gatefold jacket, and both the LP and CD feature personal liner notes from Christian McBride and Brian Blade.
With years of collaboration to draw from, nine-time GRAMMY-winning bassist Christian McBride and four-time GRAMMY-winning drummer Brian Blade bring a profound musical connection to their work with Corea. On Trilogy 3, their long standing partnership fuels a dynamic, ever-evolving soundscape that elevates the art of the jazz trio to new heights.
Following the critically acclaimed Trilogy (2013) and Trilogy 2 (2018) albums, which each earned two GRAMMY Awards including Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Trilogy 3 marks yet another milestone for this celebrated ensemble. The release brings together live performances from their February-March 2020 tour, cut short by the onset of the pandemic, capturing the trio’s extraordinary interplay and artistic brilliance. The album features fresh interpretations of jazz standards by Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, alongside Chick Corea compositions, and a vibrant take on Domenico Scarlatti’s “Sonata In D Minor.”
Widely regarded as one of Chick’s most acclaimed ensembles, this trio has consistently pushed the boundaries of jazz with technical brilliance, playful camaraderie, and deep emotional resonance. Trilogy 3 invites listeners to join these masters on a journey through music that is both timeless and groundbreaking.
Tracklisting:
SIDE A
1. Humpty Dumpty
2. Windows
SIDE B
1. Trinkle Tinkle
2. You’d Be So Easy To Love
SIDE C
1. Ask Me Now
2. Scarlatti: Sonata in D Minor K9, L413 Allegro
SIDE D
1. Spanish Song
2. Tempus Fugit
Pink Floyd Announce 50th Anniversary Edition of ‘Wish You Were Here’
Half a century to the day since its original 1975 release, Pink Floyd have announced the 50th anniversary edition of their era-defining album Wish You Were Here. Out December 12th via Sony Music, Wish You Were Here 50 gives fans an exciting new perspective into one of Pink Floyd’s most iconic and best-loved records. The 50th anniversary edition features multiple discs of rarities – at the core of this special collection are six previously unreleased alternate versions and demos presenting Pink Floyd’s eighth studio album in a brand new way that demands repeat listening.
Wish You Were Here 50 will be released in multiple formats including 3LP, 2CD, Blu-ray, digital and a Deluxe Box Set. The digital release includes the original 1975 album, featuring a new Dolby Atmos mix by James Guthrie, whose work with Pink Floyd dates back to 1979’s The Wall. It also includes 25 bonus tracks made up of nine studio rarities, and 16 live recordings captured by the renowned bootlegger Mike Millard at Pink Floyd’s Los Angeles Sports Arena concert on April 26th 1975, now receiving its first official release. The live audio has been meticulously restored and remastered by Steven Wilson. The Blu-ray edition also gives fans the chance to see three concert screen films from the band’s 1975 tour, plus a Storm Thorgerson short film. The 3LP and 2CD formats include the original album and the nine studio bonus tracks. The Deluxe Box Set includes all 2CD, 3LP (on exclusive clear vinyl) and Blu-Ray material, plus a fourth clear vinyl LP, Live At Wembley 1974, a replica Japanese 7” Single of Have A Cigar b/w Welcome To The Machine, a hardcover book including unseen photographs, a comic book tour programme and Knebworth concert poster. Exclusive 50th Anniversary Merchandise along with Limited Edition product releases will also be available at PinkFloyd.com.
To celebrate the album announcement, a previously unheard early demo recording of “Welcome to the Machine” originally titled “The Machine Song” is released today. Shorter in length than the epic original, “The Machine Song (Demo #2, Revisited)” gives fans an exciting preview of what to expect from Wish You Were Here 50. Other studio rarities to be released include “The Machine Song (Roger’s demo),” the first home demo of the song that Roger Waters originally brought to the band, a previously unheard instrumental mix of the track “Wish You Were Here” showcasing David Gilmour’s pedal steel guitar, and for the first time, a complete “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-9)” that joins together the two halves of the song, newly mixed in stereo by James Guthrie.
Wish You Were Here has been a mainstay on all-time greatest albums lists for decades. The multi-Platinum-selling #1 hit record was Pink Floyd’s first to reach the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, becoming the band’s fastest selling album. In 1973, The Dark Side of the Moon had taken Pink Floyd from a hugely successful breakout British band to one of the biggest rock groups on the planet. Wish You Were Here was the band’s powerful response to their newfound global fame.
Featuring the multi-part eulogy to Syd Barrett “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” the hypnotic “Welcome To The Machine,” the scathing “Have a Cigar,” with its immortal line “Oh by the way, which one’s Pink?” famously sung not by Waters or Gilmour, but by non band-member Roy Harper, and the essential title track, Wish You Were Here is undoubtedly one of the most important album releases in the history of popular music.
The record’s themes of absence, isolation, transience, and comment on the insincerity of the music business are embodied in the iconic album artwork. The visual puns developed by Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell at Hipgnosis remain instantly recognisable visual statements today.
Remembering that time, Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell said:
“In the 1970s, album covers were equally as important as the music, because the cover helped to sell the record. Record stores would carry 10,000 different images in album sleeves, so what we were doing had to look different and stand out amongst the crowd.
I remember turning around to Storm and saying, how are we going to set a man on fire? Because there was no digital way of doing it in those days. He said, Po, you’re just going to have to do it for real. That was it.
One has to remember that Pink Floyd were the only band on EMI and Capitol Records who had the rights to the creative – in terms of album cover – besides the Beatles. That’s why we were allowed to do what we wanted. It was brilliant. Just the same way that Pink Floyd were a very inventive band at the time, so were Hipgnosis. We were determined to keep that abstract, enigmatic image alive and hence, we were able to do that for Pink Floyd.”
In 2025 the ardent support and fascination surrounding Pink Floyd’s music remains. The newly restored version of their groundbreaking 1972 film Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII stormed box offices around the world, with the live album debuting at #1 on the UK Albums Chart, marking the band’s first UK chart-topper in eleven years and the seventh in their career. The film was praised by critics and audiences the world over, with The Guardian describing it as a “mesmerically peculiar portrait of a band on cusp of greatness.”
50 years since its release, Wish You Were Here sounds as resonant and vital as ever, and in reaching this milestone deserves to be celebrated anew. This special anniversary edition allows fans, for the first time, to delve deeper into a pivotal moment in Pink Floyd’s history.
Go Behind the Training of Glen Powell in Edgar Wright’s ‘The Running Man’
A new featurette takes us inside the grueling prep of Glen Powell for Edgar Wright’s The Running Man. Paramount’s November 14 release reimagines Stephen King’s dystopian tale with grit, muscle, and a cast stacked with heavy hitters.
Brooks & Dunn Announced as UK’s 2026 Country to Country Festival Headliners
Country music’s best-selling duo of all time, Brooks & Dunn, have been announced as headliners for the 2026 Country to Country Festival (C2C), marking their first UK performances since 2010. The legendary pair will take the main stage in London, Glasgow, and Belfast during the three-day festival, running March 13–15, 2026, joining a stacked lineup that includes Keith Urban and Zach Top.
Brooks & Dunn remain a dominant force both on stage and in the studio. Their return to international stages comes after this year’s 2025 NEON MOON Tour, selling out arenas from coast to coast and delivering what critics hailed as “arena-rock-concert, bring-the-house-down energy” (Houston Press). Additionally, they joined Morgan Wallen this summer for six stadium shows on his I’m The Problem Tour 2025 in the U.S. and Canada.
In November, the duo released REBOOT II, the sequel to their 2019 collaborative album, which once again paired the duo with some of the most exciting voices across genres—including Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen, Warren Zeiders and Halestorm—to reimagine hits from their storied catalog. The 18-song collection of “kickass revivals” (Music Row) has earned critical acclaim for and reaffirmed their place as “living legends” (Wide Open Country) as well as pioneers who continue to bridge generations and genres.
In April, they received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 64th Western Heritage Awards, and they’re once again nominated for CMA Vocal Duo of the Year, an honor they’ve claimed 15 times, most recently in 2024. As they look ahead to 2026 and their long-awaited return to UK stages, both Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are being recognized individually for their enduring contributions to music and culture. This October, Kix Brooks will be honored with a star on the Walk of Champions at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, celebrating his decades-long commitment to the hospital and its patients as both a fundraiser and advocate. In November, Ronnie Dunn will be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, joining a class of distinguished leaders whose impact transcends their industries.
Once artists like Brooks & Dunn hit the Country Music Hall of Fame, folks don’t expect much in the way of new ideas. But, thirty-plus years into their career, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn long ago dialed in their generation-defining sound and style. The best-selling duo of all time, their yin-and-yang country-rock blend has earned them 20 Number Ones – plenty of material to fill stadium-rocking set lists. And with a Grammy-winning, course-of-history shifting catalog written mostly themselves, they could rest easy knowing without doubt they left a permanent mark on the American songbook. But Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have always been the restless type. Out now via Sony Music Nashville, REBOOT II is the sequel to their acclaimed 2019 album REBOOT and follows the same format of giving today’s most engaging artists in and out of country music the near-impossible task of reimagining an iconic Brooks & Dunn song; except this time, the artists were given maximum creative freedom. With styles ranging from progressive country and classic bluegrass to heavy metal, orchestral pop, and beyond, the very fabric of songs most country fans know by heart was transformed. Whether it was ‘90s grunge, ‘70s style studio rock, or swampy soul, the duo encouraged each artist to throw out the playbook. REBOOT II’s 18 tracks include reinterpreted hits such as “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” and “Believe,” resulting in a dynamic and eclectic collection that spans genres and generations. Brooks & Dunn continue to break records, tallying the longest-running country music residency in Las Vegas, and criss-cross North America year after year on their sold-out tours. For more information visit www.brooks-dunn.com.
FAME Recording Studios Honored in Country Music Hall of Fame’s New ‘Muscle Shoals’ Exhibit
FAME Recording Studios today announced it will be featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s new exhibit, “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising,” opening Nov. 14, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. The exhibit examines the rise of the Muscle Shoals sound through recordings, artifacts and session history from FAME and other Shoals contributors. An opening-weekend schedule of events will accompany the debut, and the exhibit will be on view for nearly three years.
The “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising” exhibit will feature key artifacts from FAME’s history, including the original piano played on Aretha Franklin’s breakthrough hits as well as other FAME hits through 1969 by legends Spooner Oldham, Barry Beckett and David Briggs. Also on display will be FAME founder and owner Rick Hall’s personal fiddle, documents, and equipment. Rather than retelling familiar Muscle Shoals narratives, the “Muscle Shoals” exhibit places FAME’s session materials, photographs, instruments and recordings within the region’s broader story. Together, they trace how work at FAME led to the sale of hundreds of millions of records and shaped soul, R&B, country, and rock far beyond the Shoals, bringing fresh visibility to a studio that rewired the American sound.
Because of that influence, the term “the Muscle Shoals sound” has become a cultural emblem synonymous with raw, soulful music that shaped American identity. Released in 2013, the documentary “Muscle Shoals” brought wider attention to the Shoals and sparked renewed interest in FAME as a cultural touchstone. Founded in 1959 by Rick Hall, FAME hosted sessions by Otis Redding, Etta James, Clarence Carter and Wilson Pickett, who recorded “Mustang Sally” and “Land of 1,000 Dances” at the studio in 1966. Those records helped define what became known as the Muscle Shoals sound.
“After more than six decades of sessions, FAME Recording Studios continues to surprise and move listeners with its sound, its soul and its vibe,” said Rodney Hall, president of FAME Recording Studios and son of founder Rick Hall. “Like all great studios, FAME has turned limitation into invention and hard knocks into songs that last. This exhibit lets visitors see the tapes, charts and instruments behind that work, and we are proud to share it with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.”
Opening weekend events celebrating the new exhibit, Nov. 14–16, 2025, will feature live performances by FAME alumni as well as a community panel at noon Saturday with the “First Lady of Muscle Shoals Music,” Linda Hall, and Candi Staton.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater will present “Muscle Shoals: Opening Concert Celebration” on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. CT. The program features performances by Tiera Kennedy, Bettye LaVette, Wendy Moten, Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn, Maggie Rose, Shenandoah and John Paul White. The house band, led by guitarist Will McFarlane, includes Mark Beckett, Mickey Buckins, Kelvin Holly, Clayton Ivey, the Shoals Sisters, Charles Rose and Bob Wray. For more information on opening-weekend events and exhibit dates, visit countrymusichalloffame.org;