Today, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith announces her debut full length album Mirror, to release July 14, which will feature 15 deeply moving, personal records tells a story filled with autobiographical ups and downs. The title Mirror is personal and deliberate. “I’ve been working on this album for years. It has been with me through so much in my life, the highs and the lows, and it means more to me than I can put into words. It tells a story of reflection, healing and growth.” says Spencer Smith. “I went through a hard breakup, and the album tells the story of that all, the journey of that and now being in a more happy relationship. The title comes from the one thing in my life that’s seen me in every emotion through that journey— my bedroom and bathroom mirror.”
Songs from the album have already amassed over 1 billion streams. Released in 2023, “Best Friend Breakup” presents a song that resonates with almost anyone yet fills a creative void, while most recent single “Fantasy” confronts toxic relationships through a collaboration with GAYLE and Em Beihold. Having grown up in a small town without a music community, Smith considers her collaborators the friends she always longed for. The chemistry from their group chats comes alive in the single and video.
By the age of 19, Lauren had already created two hits, “Fingers Crossed” and “Flowers.” The RIAA-certified platinum singles represent a rare voice in music. “I always tell people that the only reason I feel obligated to write is because I didn’t have this song when I was sad. I feel like writing about it can help somebody else.” Lauren Spencer Smith writes and sings from very personal places, but she does so in a way that is relatable to so many. While often sad, these songs include deep reflection, processing, and analysis. “I don’t enjoy writing songs when I’m not over the situation,” she offers. “I enjoy going to therapy and talking about it. Once I have both sides, and I can be unbiased about it, I can write the best song.” After achieving over 1 billion global streams through resonant singles, Lauren Spencer Smith is eager to share more of herself. Her upcoming debut album, Mirror, promises depth, range, and narrative.
Ben Folds is a celebrated American singer-songwriter, beloved for songs such as “Brick,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Rockin’ the Suburbs,” and “The Luckiest,” and is the former frontman of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. But Folds will be the first to tell you he’s an unconventional icon, more normcore than hardcore. Now, in his first book, Folds looks back at his life so far in a charming and wise chronicle of his artistic coming of age, infused with the wry observations of a natural storyteller.
In the title chapter, “A Dream About Lightning Bugs,” Folds recalls his earliest childhood dream—and realizes how much it influenced his understanding of what it means to be an artist. In “Measure Twice, Cut Once” he learns to resist the urge to skip steps during the creative process. In “Hall Pass” he recounts his 1970s North Carolina working-class childhood, and in “Cheap Lessons” he returns to the painful life lessons he learned the hard way—but that luckily didn’t kill him.
In his inimitable voice, both relatable and thought-provoking, Folds digs deep into the life experiences that shaped him, imparting hard-earned wisdom about both art and life. Collectively, these stories embody the message Folds has been singing about for years: Smile like you’ve got nothing to prove, because it hurts to grow up, and life flies by in seconds.
Today, a brand new trifecta comes to you in the form of Russia’s Pussy Riot, Berlin’s Boys Noize and Canada’s Alice Glass who are offering up “Chastity” via Boysnoize Records. Nadya Tolokonnikova says: “This song will put the patriarchy in a tiny cage and throw the key out.”
With “Chastity,” Pussy Riot and Alice Glass wield Boys Noize’s racing techno-NRG as a weapon of mass domination. The femme-fatale vocalists take turns drenching the Berlin producer’s dark adrenaline with syrupy acid – and while it’s an undeniable peak-time rush, a closer listen to the lyrics reveal disturbing new details.
One can never know for sure if the ladies are just singing along or issuing commands. Did Boys Noize know his production was being used by Pussy Riot and Alice Glass to create the first sissy-hypno-core banger? But the question that “Chastity” has everyone really asking is, “Who has the key?”
“Chastity”’s official music video concept & still images are by LIL INTERNET, the edit & animation by TRLLM [K8 Howl & Jak Ritger]. Don’t miss!
Canadian Pro Audio manufacturer, Yorkville Sound, and iconic amplifier brand, Traynor Amps, are celebrating 60 years in 2023. This milestone marks significant achievements in manufacturing, sound technology, and tells the unlikely story of how a mild-mannered jazz trumpeter and a rock & roll bass player ignited a major cultural shift in Canadian music.
Six decades ago, Long & McQuade founder, Jack Long & then staff repair person, Pete Traynor took a walk outside of the very first Long & McQuade location on Toronto’s Yonge Street, seeking inspiration for their new venture. With the Yorkville street sign in their line of sight, Yorkville Sound was born.
The first Yorkville Sound product was also a first for the globe. In the early sixties, lead vocalists showed up to gigs with a microphone and a hope that there was something to plug in to. At the request of a local band, Pete Traynor built two road-worthy column PA speakers to solve this problem once and for all. The resulting Yorkville YSC speakers comprised the first known portable column PA system, soon to be commonplace on stages around the world.
“The YSC PA columns kickstarted the whole portable PA industry in North America,” says Mike Holman, Yorkville’s historian and employee of the company since 1970. “It started a line of pro-audio firsts including the first portable stage lighting system, the first mobile concert sound operation, and the first wedged stage monitor, to name a few.”
As Long & McQuade pioneered music gear rentals, it was the natural hub for Toronto musicians to stock up in preparation for their legendary Yonge Street gigs. Noting that Bass gear was usually the first to be depleted, Pete Traynor examined the popular amps of the 60s’ and built his own line of Dynabass amplifiers. Later renamed Bass Master, the amp earned a global reputation as a workhorse for decades to come.
In partnership with Long & McQuade, Yorkville Sound and Traynor’s homegrown structure has given Canadian musicians unprecedented access to high-quality and affordable music gear. With this model in place, countless Canadian musicians were able to plug-in and turn-up.
“Yorkville & Traynor are common denominators among the Canadian music community,” says Steve Long, Yorkville Sound’s CEO. “Somewhere in every Canadian garage band’s history, is a Yorkville Sound product or Traynor amp.”
Yorkville Sound has grown from a few employees in the back of the original Long & McQuade store, to over 200 employees in the 150,000 square foot facility in Pickering, Ontario Canada, where all their North American products are manufactured. “We’ve been in Pickering for over 30 years,” says Long, “We’re proud of our team, which includes employees that have been with us since the very early days, and generations of families.”
Outside of Canada, Yorkville has a US office in Niagara Falls, New York and international distribution. “Our products resonate around the world, particularly in DJ communities, where heavy bass is paramount,” says Long.
Sixty years in, Yorkville Sound continues to innovate on a global level. Most recently, Yorkville unveiled the EXM Mobile series, the world’s best portable battery-powered PA systems, giving musicians the latitude to set up great-sounding gigs anywhere. “The Pete Traynor ethic of leading the charge in product designs and building gear from a musician’s point of view is a core part of who we are,” says Long.
Yorkville Sound will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary throughout 2023 with a limited-edition commemorative product, a series of company profile videos, and special events.
Yorkville Sound has been a manufacturer of PA systems and loudspeakers, Traynor instrument amplifiers, installed audio systems and accessories since its inception in 1963. The company now employs over 220 people in a 150,000 sq ft facility in Pickering Ontario, Canada (a suburb of Toronto). In addition to its manufacturing capability, Yorkville Sound is an importer and distributor of microphones, and accessories under the Apex brand (www.apexelectronics.com) as well as studio effects, signal processors, microphone preamps and accessories under the brand name Applied Research & Technology (ART) (www.artproaudio.com). Yorkville Sound distributed lines include Granite Percussion, Denver Guitars, Orion FX Lighting, HK Audio, Hughes & Kettner Amplifiers, Rouge Valley Bags for North America; Epiphone Guitars, Gibson Guitars, Gold Tone, Samson Audio & Wireless, Hartke, Mapex Drums, Dynaudio, Leho Ukuleles, LEWITT Mcirophones, Link Audio, Los Cabos Drumsticks, LR Baggs, Ernie Ball Strings, Rotosound Strings, , Snark Tuners, TrueTone Pedals, CruzTools, Kluson, DLX Series, Steinberger Guitars, The Rockslide, Zer0 Glide, KRK, as well as Gallien-Krueger Amplifiers for Canada
Anna Goldsmith, the rising pop star from Innisfil, Ontario has collaborated with Dutch composer and producer Jan Jansen to release their third original single, “Go” – available now.
The twosome met through Instagram and have teamed up to release originals such as “Follower”, and “Miracle” and covers that include, “One Way or Another” by Blondie and “Father Christmas” by the Kinks. The dynamic duo has several more originals in the works and plans to release an entire album together.
The newly released Go was composed and recorded by Jansen while Anna wrote the lyrics and then recorded the vocals. The new energetic and powerful anthem reflects Anna’s outgoing and confident personality and her desire to empower her fans to truly love themselves as who they are.
“Go is about seeing through the fake people and being yourself; being strong and not giving in to the pressures all around us. There are so many negative influences all around us, especially on social media,” says Goldsmith. “We are living in a digital world and sometimes it’s hard to tell what is fake and what is real.”
Jan Jansen is a talented composer and producer from the Netherlands, with a growing international following. Together, the duo has created a unique sound that showcases Anna’s powerful vocals and Jan’s signature musical style.
Goldsmith, the multi-talented musician, and stage performer continues to highlight her message and purpose behind the newly released song, Go, saying, “I want my fans to see through all the fake and unreal, and be happy with themselves as they are. I don’t want them to feel badly about themselves because they don’t live up to the fake lives portrayed online.”
The outgoing and charismatic Canadian high school student is an up-and-coming performer who has been taking vocal lessons since the age of 9 with Margot Hamilton. Following the release of her debut single “Shine”, which is available on all streaming platforms, she began vocal and performance training with one of the most successful coaches in North America, Lorraine Lawson, in the summer of 2022. In addition to her musical endeavours, Anna is a volunteer with youth-centred groups, providing needed support to at-risk youth.
Prior to the release of her powerful new track, Go, Anna transitioned into the pop/rock genre and has performed at Friday Harbour in her hometown of Innisfil, Toronto’s Revival Bar and El Mocambo, and at the Chelsea Music Hall in New York City.
When inspiration seems far away, sometimes all you really need to do is look no further than the one you love. Kingston, ON singer-songwriter Christopher Jackson chronicles that moment of divine realization in his new single “Only You,” available now.
“I was going through a period of ‘writer’s block,’” Jackson recalls, “And could not come up with any music or lyric ideas. I was feeling stuck and frustrated until my partner Nicole told me to snap out of this funk and just write whatever I’m thinking about. I chirped back ‘the only thing I’m gonna write about is you.’ That line sprouted the single.”
The result is three minutes of sunny, seventies inspired roots rock, ready-made for swaying under the stars or skipping down the street. Jackson showcases his talents as a multi-instrumentalist on the track, playing acoustic guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Kingston, ON’s guest musician Spencer Evans accompanies him on the piano and clarinet.
“The feel of the song was influenced by an old Pink Floyd tune ‘San Tropez.’” Jackson says. “The theme is about overthinking the process, and trying to find something to write about when it was in front of me the whole time. My beautiful woman.”
The single is the first off of Jackson’s debut album as a solo artist, coming off of a twenty-five-year career singing and playing in cover groups, session recordings, and venue house bands. Jackson has built a reputation as a well-rounded and engaging performer at his popular “Chris Jackson & Friends” Friday night show at BluMartini in Kingston.
“This album encapsulates events and experiences in my life over the last few years,” he says. “The sudden stillness of the pandemic in 2020 gave me an opportunity to dig deep to expose my authenticity and release things from the past. There are songs about love, pain, and loss; about successes, failures, ownership; and about growth and sobriety. There wasn’t a concept or genre I was chasing. These songs came out naturally, reflecting what I was going through at the time.”
Co-produced and engineered by Paul “Doc” Halladay, the album is sure to cement Jackson’s status as a solo artist. Music lovers and hopeless romantics alike, rejoice!
One thing about rock music that some people forget is that it is an amalgamation of different genres including such as country and blues. For music artists who know this, they have the potential to bridge the past and present by bringing the roots of rock music to a contemporary sound. This is the case with psychedelic folk and classic rock singer Gary Edward Allen and his new single “Final Surprise”.
A steady drum beat, chill guitar riffs and Allen’s equally relaxing vocals open the song. Both have a contemplative rock vibe that is strongly reminiscent of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. This is further enhanced by the song’s introspective lyrics which considers how things have changed since the singer last saw someone,
“Left me empty as a shell With nothing left to give… Broken yet unburied….
….but I’m sure it’s good to be home again
Funny how things always change
On a nickel or a dime
Took your turn at being weak To be the one with only time …
…left to pay”
Of the song’s inspirations, Allen states, “I wrote ‘Final Surprise’ in the spring of 2019. The opening line ‘left me empty as a shell, with nothing left to give, broken yet unburied, but I’m sure it’s good to be home again….’ is almost being a bit cheeky in the face of a funeral. It’s about standing with someone and feeling helpless while they fall into the abyss.”
The song’s theme of helplessness in the face of someone struggling with their personal pain is another similarity that Allen and Tom Petty share. Yet a notable difference is that Allen’s song hopes that the person struggling with their pain will eventually overcome it. The guitar solo just before the last verse of the song heightens this newfound hope.
Production wise, Allen says that the guitar solo was very intentional. “The guitar solo I’m very proud of. It’s not like I’m a shredder, I keep it as melodic as possible, but I doubled each lick so it has a nice stereo feel. Lead guitar is my favorite thing to be doing, so it’s just fun for me.”
Allen started playing guitar at seven years old before falling in love with it as a teenager after listening to Queen and KISS. After a brief stint in a music class, he taught himself different guitar playing styles using his love of different music genres. By his early 20s, he gradually overcame his performance shyness by playing live in Ottawa at various clubs.
After moving to Vancouver in the mid 90s, Allen took a hiatus from performing live, but never stopped playing the guitar and singing. When Allen entered his 40s, he decided to return to performing music after meeting indie artist Robb Hill. Not long afterwards, he would record his first songs with producer Doug Fury before meeting AJ Ottaway and John Dean and recording their debut album Ottaway Broder Allen. This would lead to a local tour in Vancouver as well as a second album, Invictus, that was made and released in 2015.
After a local tour promoting their second Album Invictus, \Ottaway Broder Allen moved to Toronto in 2015 only to break up soon after leaving Allen to become a solo artist. By 2017, Allen would become a solo artist that collaborated with his former bandmate AJ mixing new songs and recording with producer Tim Bovaconti. “Final Surprise” is the newest in a string of singles that include “Make It Happen” and “The Precious Ones.”
Five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan announced his 2023 touring plans today with the launch of the 36-city “Country On Tour” kicking off June 15 in Syracuse, New York. Produced by Live Nation, special guests throughout the tour include many of country music’s up and coming artists- Chayce Beckham, Tyler Braden, Ashley Cooke, Jackson Dean, Jon Langston, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, Hailey Whitters, and DJ Rock. Tickets on sale Friday, Feb 3 at 10am local time at Lukebryan.com.
Throughout his career Luke has invested in new artists by inviting them to join him on tour. Through the years dozens of ones to watch have been a part of his trailblazing tours including Cole Swindell, Dustin Lynch, Dylan Scott, Jon Langston, Little Big Town, Morgan Wallen, Lauren Alaina, Mitchell Tenpenny, Riley Green and many more. Cultivating and mentoring new talent is also the reason he loves judging on American Idol. He appreciates the journey and hard work it took to get him to where he is today, and he wants to open the door and lead the way by sharing his experiences as an artist and a businessman.
“Artists get into the business to make music and perform it for the fans,” shared Luke. “Leaving it all out on that stage is what it’s all about for me. I’m excited to support and have so many talented new artists along for the ride this year. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of our job.
Ticket presale for Luke’s fan club members begins Tuesday, Jan 31 at 8am local time through Thursday, February 2 at 5pm local time. For details go HERE. Citi is the official card of the “Country On Tour.” Citi card members will have access to presale tickets beginning Wednesday, Feb 1 at 10am local time until Thursday, Feb 2 at 10pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
During his illustrious and decorated career, Luke has worked diligently to build a highly active and loyal fan base one fan at a time. Much credit can be given to him and his team for creating unique concert opportunities for him to engage with and garner fans. No other country artist can boast multiple, highly successful events and tours like Luke including his Spring Break and Farm Tour tours, Crash My Playa events in Mexico (the eighth event sold-out just last week!), his on- going headline engagements at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas and his yearly headline tours which have often included sold-out stadium shows. In fact, Luke has played for more than 13+ million fans since he began headlining in 2011.
Luke’s performances in previous tours have received applause from fans and media alike raving he is “electrifying,” “still the reigning king of modern country genre,” “cements his Entertainer of the Year status,” “his enduring everyman charm and more energy than the Energizer Bunny,” “the country music artist backs up his title as the ‘King of Country Music’ when he put on a performance of a lifetime,” “some of his best moments are connecting with the crowd between songs,” and “Bryan remains an imminently affable presence on stage prowess as a performer.”
The tour is aptly named after Luke’s 30th #1 single, “Country On,” which hit the top spot on the country singles charts just before Christmas 2022 and helped him amass a career tally of 56 total weeks at #1.
Legendary GRAMMY Award-winner Van Morrison has announced a three-night run of shows at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino September 6, 8 and 9, 2023. The shows are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.
Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. PT at ticketmaster.com.
American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. PT through Thursday, Feb. 9 at 10 p.m. PT. Caesars Rewards members, Caesars Entertainment’s loyalty program, as well as Spotify, Live Nation and Ticketmaster customers will have access to a presale beginning Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. PT until Thursday, Feb. 9 at 10 p.m. PT.
Van Morrison is a GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, author, poet and multi-instrumentalist, who is widely considered one of the most important living artists of our time. He has albums that are ranked greatest in the entire rock and roll canon. He has over 150 songs featured in major motion pictures, including his hits “Brown-Eyed Girl,” “Moondance,” “Wild Night” and “Gloria.”
Tim Wright secured his place in NFL annals — catching six touchdowns from Tom Brady — and ultimately, winning Super Bowl XLIX with the New England Patriots. Today, the Super Bowl Champ, recently featured in Forbes, is once again making history as chief strategic officer of Dome Audio, the world’s first tech developer to produce “4D Fidelity, Surreal Sound, Bone and Air Conduction” headphones. However, unlike any other consumer headphone product on the market, Dome Audio’s OneSound D4 Headphones can also deliver a high-fidelity sound experience to users who are deaf/hard-of-hearing.
“After winning the Super Bowl, it was important for me to leverage my influence and harness the business acumen gained from the NFL to fulfill my life’s purpose. I’ve always been intrigued with smart, innovative technology, then one day my close friend, Ben White, asked me to check out a new concept in a headphone that he’d just developed. After experiencing them, I was blown away and I said to him, ‘the future is now!’ It’s been an absolute honor to be instrumental in bringing a consumer tech product to market that actually softens barriers — enabling people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing to enjoy high-fidelity musical experiences alongside those who can hear,” said Wright.
Not long after hearing the headphones, Wright joined Founder and IP Developer Ben White, to become a co-founder and CSO at Dome Audio Inc.
Dome Audio’s OneSound® D4 model is the first headphone utilizing 4x-patented, Surreal-Sound Bone Conduction to produce superior sound performance for a rich musical and entertainment experience.
Typically, headphones cover the ear canal, pushing sound vibrations through the air into the eardrum to be processed by the cochlea. Dome Audio’s OneSound D4 Headphone sits comfortably on the outside of the ear. Its advanced-engineering is housed in a proprietary design aesthetic that is fashionable, thoughtful and modern. OneSoundD4 Headphones come with interchangeable noise-isolation Dome Covers that offer two listening options — an open ear mode to enable ambient sound or a closed ear mode for a deeply-immersive experience.
“The NFL Super Bowl 2022 brought in a new era for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Deaf performers, Warren “Wawa” Snipes and Sean Forbes seriously represented, signing for Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime show. Having witnessed such an historic event, I know that Dome Audio is ushering in the future of sound!”
To learn more about Dome Audio, visit the Dome website here.
