There’s a specific type of loneliness that comes with being into someone who parties too much, and Phoenix, AZ’s pop artist Junk Dior captures it perfectly with his new single “When We’re Both Apart” — available now.
While sonically, it’s a sunny — if not euphoric — delivery of unbridled optimism, the lyrics tell the other story. Amid layers of beats, synth, soaring vocal harmonies, and rap/talk, the song tells the story of a ‘party princess’ who continually evades the narrator, giving him time only in the spaces between one party and the next — even if the party only happens to be on TikTok. And she keeps her weekends to herself.
“When We’re Both Apart” was borne of Junk Dior’s personal exhaustion from working in nightclubs, a feeling surrounded by superficial intimacy. He “feels saddened by the disconnect between couples,” adding that the song is what he believes is an accurate representation of the modern 21st-century relationship.
“It gets lonely when we’re both apart” is the repeated hook, and we’re just as hooked as he is; while unrequited love is his drug of choice, she no doubt does the ‘good stuff.’ The song’s many layers lend an impression of not only cynical irony, but hope and the possibility for eventual genuine connection; a complex message for complicated times.
Junk Dior, a.k.a. Michael Finkelstein, has courted a love of music since childhood. He and his identical twin brother were both avid music aficionados, digging into their parents’ music collection from a young age. A friend’s father, a professional drummer, had a 40-50-piece drum set in his living room, which further added to the obsession. Junk Dior then discovered the piano, and is self-taught. He became interested in other types of music, such as film scores and electronic music. Then, the loss of a high-school classmate inspired him to compose a full orchestral piece for the school orchestra. That was the beginning of his love of performing, and his large-scale musical ambitions.
“When We’re Both Apart” appears on Junk Dior’s new album, R.etrograde. Both are available now.
Sonic Reducers. One topic. Two music nerds. Five minutes.
Listen in as we mourn the death of Canadian comic giant Norm Macdonald, celebrate his life and career and recall some of his finest moments on Saturday Night Live.
The Black Album won a Grammy, went platinum sixteen times, and is one of the best-selling records of all-time. But it wasn’t a hit with everyone. Here are Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujilla, James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich from Metallica reading real Amazon 1-star reviews of the Black Album.
Elton John called into the Stern Show with words of praise for Metallica’s 30th anniversary of the “Black Album” and explained why he wanted to collaborate on a cover of one of their songs with Miley Cyrus.
Today, global pop superstar Dua Lipa announced the North American leg of her highly anticipated Future Nostalgia Tour for 2022, in support of the Grammy-winning album of the same name. The arena tour makes 28 stops across the US, including Dua’s first ever headline show at Madison Square Garden in New York City and the iconic Forum in Los Angeles. The Future Nostalgia Tour will also feature support from Caroline Polachek and Lolo Zouaï, with Megan Thee Stallion joining on select dates, full list of tour stops and lineups below.
“I’m so thrilled to tour again and see my angels in person! How amazing that we all get to dance and celebrate together once again,” says Dua. “When I was writing Future Nostalgia, I imagined the songs being played in clubs on nights out with your mates. I’m so excited that this fantasy is finally coming true. I can’t wait to experience these songs with you together live!”
The long-awaited Future Nostalgia Tour, produced by Ceremony London, promoted by Live Nation and sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer, will be the first time Dua connects her live vision for this album in-person with fans. Previously, the superstar was able to connect with fans during her record smashing live stream extravaganza Studio 2054, which had over 5 million viewers during its initial airing and featured special guests Angele, Bad Bunny, Elton John, FKA Twigs, J Balvin, Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus and Tainy. Dua is already slated to tour the EU in 2022, making this her first world tour run since breaking records during quarantine with her platinum-certified sophomore album Future Nostalgia.
Future Nostalgia is the longest running top 10 album by a female artist on the Billboard 200 this year and was the #1 most streamed album of 2020 on Spotify. It landed on the year-end “Best Of” lists of everyone from Rolling Stone to Billboard and Pitchfork, and spawned multiple worldwide hit singles including the #1 tracks “Break My Heart,” “Levitating,” which is still topping the charts and is the longest running song ever on Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist, and US 4x platinum lead single “Don’t Start Now,” which broke her personal best record of weeks at #1 at US Top 40 radio and is the most streamed track on Spotify’s Today’s Top Hits playlist in history.
In addition to breaking radio records, Dua is also a dominate force on streaming platforms, topping Spotify’s artist chart as the most streamed female artist on the platform and is currently the fourth biggest artist overall with over 65 million monthly listeners. Future Nostalgia now has over 7 billion streams across all platforms worldwide. After receiving 6 nominations at the 2021 Grammys, including Record, Song and Album of the Year. She is now a three-time Grammy winner, having received awards for Best Pop Vocal Album this year and for Best New Artist and Best Dance Recording in 2019. Future Nostalgia was the follow up to her eponymous 2017 debut, which is certified platinum, spawned 6 platinum tracks, and made Dua the first female artist in Brit Awards history to pick up five nominations, with two wins for British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist.
Future Nostalgia North American Tour
February 9th, 2022 – Miami, FL – FTX Arena # !
February 11th, 2022 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center # !
February 12th, 2022 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena # !
February 14th, 2022 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena # !
February 16th, 2022 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center # !
February 18th, 2022 – Boston, MA – TD Garden # !
February 19th, 2022 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center # !
February 22nd, 2022 – Montreal, QC – Centre Bell # !
February 23rd, 2022 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena # !
February 25th, 2022 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena # !
February 26th, 2022 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center # !
March 1st, 2022 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden # !
March 2nd, 2022 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena # !
March 4th, 2022 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center # !
March 5th, 2022 – Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center # !
March 8th, 2022 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center # !
March 9th, 2022 – Chicago, IL – United Center # !
March 12th, 2022 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center # !
March 13th, 2022 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center # !
March 15th, 2022 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena * #
March 17th, 2022 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center * #
March 20th, 2022 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center * #
March 22nd, 2022 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum # !
March 25th, 2022 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena # !
March 27th, 2022 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center # !
March 29th, 2022 – Portland, OR – Moda Center # !
March 31st, 2022 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena # !
April 1st, 2022 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena # !
More than 30 years after the release of NO MORE TEARS, music fans will at last hear a new version of the album’s “Hellraiser.” The digital release of the album, due out September 17 (Sony), will include an updated interpretation of the track featuring the first-ever official version of the song with a mash-up of vocals from OZZY and the song’s co-writer, longtime friend and colleague Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. “Hellraiser” originally appeared on NO MORE TEARS; Motorhead then recorded their own version and released it as a single from their 1992 March ör Die album. “Hellraiser” was one of four songs from NO MORE TEARS co-written by OZZY with Lemmy; the others are “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” “Desire,” and “I Don’t Want to Change the World.”
“I hope everyone enjoys the song,” OZZY says. “This is just a small way to honor my friend Lemmy. Sharon and I talk a lot about how much we miss him.”
Beyond the digital version of NO MORE TEARS–OSBOURNE’s sixth solo album went Top 10 (#7) and certified quadruple platinum–the release will also be highlighted with two special editions: a 2LP black vinyl version and a special yellow and red 2LP vinyl version with a specially created booklet (exclusively at www.towerrecords.com). Both configurations will be released simultaneously with the digital version. Pre-order the album here.
In its release, NO MORE TEARS yielded four top ten singles on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” (#2), “Road To Nowhere” (#3), “Time After Time” (#6) and the title track (#10). In addition, the album’s “I Don’t Want to Change the World” earned OZZY his first Grammy for a live version of the track that was featured on his 1993 LIVE AND LOUD album. The album has remained an OZZY classic, earning a spot (#22) on Loudwire’s “Top 90 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of the ’90s” with Ultimate Classic Rock including No More Tears on their list “Top 100 ’90s Rock Albums.”
Bob Marley is easily one of the biggest musical artists of all time. His art and life have inspired millions of people across the globe. Shoe Palace is excited to present a brand new apparel assortment, available only at Shoe Palace, that honors the legacy of Bob Marley.
The Shoe Palace x Bob Marley collection releases this September exclusively at Shoe Palace retail locations and on shoepalace.com. The line includes tees, hoodies, shirts, and jogger pants. The premium materials, colors, and artwork were meticulously crafted to meet the high standards of Marley’s loyal fans. The collection consists of Marley iconography like tour tees, tie dye patterns and portraits.
Following a string of emotionally charged single releases this year, Mallorca, Spain-based Jack In Water entwines them together in this, his stunning debut full-length, You Don’t Feel Like Home — available now.
The chamber pop nom-de-plume of singer/songwriter William Clapson, the LP highlights newly unveiled single, “Everyone Will Be Lost,” as well as previous offerings “For You,” “Anxious Smothers,” the release’s title track “You Don’t Feel Like Home,” and more.
Produced by Oli Bayston (Loyle Carner, The 2 Bears) at his East London Studio, You Don’t Feel Like Home is not a record to rush. A striking statement of acceptance that’s as much about moving on as it is about looking back, the collection of seven songs delve into Clapson’s childhood, mining immersively introspective, coming-of-age songs that draw on topics of family, friendship, and falling in love, while also addressing darker, deeply personal issues — sexual abuse, alcohol misuse, and the discovery of death.
It’s in that personal sharing that Clapson both found and supported a sense of community; as Jack In Water, he recently released a beautiful acoustic version of his track, “Monster,” which caught the attention of Mankind, a sexual abuse charity for men. In a bid to help others through talking about his own experiences, Clapson has since worked closely with the charity, and survivors of abuse. “One of the first projects we did is called ‘The Way Through It’,” he shares. “It features a series of stories of each survivor, and explains the process they went through to get help and support.”
Brought up in a little village in Essex, a string of DIY EP releases to date — including 2011’s The Meaning of Events — has garnered Clapson an impressive accumulated streaming figure of over 10+ million.
Released August 27th, 2021, early previews of You Don’t Feel Like Home received resounding support from the likes of BBC Introducing, The Independent, 1883 Magazine, Daily Star, Far Out Magazine, and more; Clash praised Clapson’s “incredible grace in his artistry,” and Clout declared You Don’t Feel Like Home as “one of the strongest releases of 2021.”
You Don’t Feel Like Home and “Everyone Will Be Lost” are available now.
Gentle in tone as it braces listeners for what lays in wait, singer/songwriter Dean Friedman delivers tranquil and captivating piano concertos with a serving of history in this, his new single “American Lullaby,” and titular album of the same name — both available now.
Hailed as one of the pre-eminent songwriters of his generation, Friedman’s American Lullaby marks his ninth studio album, released on his Real Life Record Label. “American Lullaby” is a journey through the past, drawing visuals from across four centuries of American history as it delves into the dark corners of a blemished past, all with a sense of optimism intertwined for the future ahead.
The song’s music video showcases a variety of images — from the first European ship to sail up New York’s Hudson River in the 1600’s, to time in the 21st century. The piece, working as a commentary on life in a country entangled in a love affair with guns, shows Friedman refusing to shy away from the tough stuff, embalming his crowd-funded album with working topics like fractured politics, environmental climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, sexism, and what he refers to as “intractable culture wars.”
“The new album, American Lullaby,” Friedman explains, “reflects my personal take on all the crazy stuff that’s been happening — both in America, and around the world — for the last six years.
“Like all lullabies, it’s filled with tales of dark deeds and disaster, but couched in soft, gentle tones meant to soothe and comfort the listener, while gently bracing them for the potential terrors that await.”
While Friedman might put the glaring shot glass of reality whiskey on the bar ahead of us, it doesn’t come without a chaser. While engaging the listener in a near-pleading wake-up call along American Lullaby’s liner notes, he isn’t without a sense of good-naturedness about a future worth saving.
“All these things really happened, and continue to happen,” he continues, adding that these varieties of new age events are “all exacerbated by our inane and disastrous politics.”
That said, he promises the album is “not all gloom and doom. It’s filled with optimism and faith — not in any god, but in our humanity.”
Long-time fans of Friedman can agree it’s his mesmerizing piano ballads that poignantly nest inside the listeners ears; soothing and calming. Friedman’s attention to detail from the quietest intonation to the widest melody, to the striking crescendo, and the drawback of the bridge is what Friedman does best — he’s a conductor inside an orchestra of storytelling.
And he captivates by utilizing the truth, catapulting off real events that are truly happening in the real world around us. It allows the listener to believe what he’s saying, agreeing to root for the answers, and confident that, this too, shall pass — if only we’re willing to accept what’s wrong, and forge a path to change.
The many notables on the album include “Halfway Normal World,” a poignant yearning for release from perpetual lockdown; “The Russians Are Coming!,” a 100% factual narrative based on the “Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Russian Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election.” Other song titles: “Welcome to Stupid Town” and “On a Summer’s Night.” The album also offers up “Just Another Birthday Song,” Friedman’s hilarious contender to replace the ubiquitous “Happy Birthday: song, written 125 years ago by the Hill sisters.
“I’m insistent on hope, laughter and joy,” he says. “Our shared emotional trauma is palpable and requires tending to, so some serious silliness is called for.
“Hopefully, the full-time residents of ‘Stupid Town’ can take a joke. As for ‘Just Another Birthday Song’, you can’t deny that, after 125 years, the Hill sisters have had a good run.”
Friedman has been utilizing the time during the pandemic to get up close and personal with his fans, through live-streaming and “DeanZine ‘Live Stream’” events, and the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Festival, taking place virtually this month. Next on the docket is a 40 run “live” concert event series kicking off April, 2022.
For Dean Friedman, recognizing the grim reality of today isn’t about lingering in sadness, or finding yourself lost in moroseness. Instead, he says, “For those of us lucky enough to have survived the recent cataclysms, it seems to me it’s incumbent upon us to not just work to heal our wounded world, but to seize every chance we get to celebrate wonder…
“And propagate joy.”
And that really is the definition of a lullaby, isn’t it? One that soothes you to sleep with whispered promises of sweet dreams ahead…
Canadian dance-pop producer Ryan Shane Owen invites you “into the big striped tent by the river” to enjoy his new single release, “Summer Night Dream” — available now.
Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s heady classic, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the Vancouver, British Columbia-based artist ushers audiences away on an atmospheric journey through the sonic colours, visuals, and sounds of a moonlit forest.
A singer/songwriter with a plethora of talents, Ryan debuted his first full-length solo album, Rhapsody for the Disco, in the beginning of 2020. From there, he developed and released his sophomore 12-track follow-up album, Symphony for the Stereo, or “Rhapsody part two,” before this new single, “Summer Night Dream.”
While Ryan may draw inspiration from genres like classical music, classic rock, pop, and EDM music, his style can be described as a mix of deep house, disco, synth wave, and glam rock — all cleverly fused into a clever, yet classic twist on electronic pop music. He revisits his decision to take the walk down the dance music path, recalling that “I’ve always loved dance music, but was always frustrated by the banality of much of the dance music out there. I wanted to create dance music with good melodies, lyrics, and instrumentation…”
Owen’s passion for dance music stems from a long exposure to not only the genre music-wise, but a tenure in the culture as well. Any EDM fan will have worked up the means to attend at least one music festival, and Ryan was no exception. When it comes to “Summer Night Dream,” Ryan fondly recalls his attendance at outdoor raves. “I also used to attend outdoor raves in Vancouver called ‘full moon parties,’” he shares. “Smaller gatherings in a clearing among the trees and mountains, with people dancing until dawn…”
These warm memories seemed like the perfect setting for this, his new single: “Summer Night Dream.” The inspiration came to him recently enough, he shares, during a heat wave that “dried out the usually lush rainforest,” subduing the familiar chatter of birds and animals to an uncomfortable extent.
As it would turn out, this silence would act as a harbinger of bad news; in fact, wildfires would continue to develop around both Ryan, as well as other residents of British Columbia. While Owen was successfully able to capture all of the sounds and video for “Summer Night Dream” prior to preparing to evacuate his home, he reveals “an additional sense of urgency and melancholy at the thought that this could all be gone if the fire situation worsened.”
The situation that was unfolding around Ryan’s home led to some of his classic tongue-in-cheek commentary of the situation around him. Being no stranger to creating abstract wordplay that represents what is going on both socially and around Owen’s, the opening line of “Summer Night Dream” refers to the haze seen around the forest and area of Owen’s home — “smoky skies saunter through the valley.”
In the end, this high-spirited indie dance-pop artist was able to finish creating something that, at the very least, will serve as a warm and colorful spirit booster and, at worst, may serve as a heartwarming reminder of what was.
In the meantime, take the time to revisit those warm summer moonlit walks in the forest by listening to Ryan Shane Owen’s newest single, “Summer Night Dream.”
