Vancouver Island based singer-songwriter Ryan McMahon is kicking off 2019 with the release of his 6th full-length album In Line For A Smile on February 1st, and Friday marked the official release of the first single ‘Too Tired For Love’ after premiering on Aesthetic Magazine before Christmas. McMahon will also be starting off the New Year on the road, with tour dates in Alberta and BC beginning in January. See below for complete tour listings.

In Line for a Smile is a collection of songs about the lack of human social connection in the world today, the self-help racket, and the need for the human race to place value on family, friends and the enrichment of relationships. The first single ‘Too Tired for Love’ is a satirical upbeat number expressing the exhaustive state the world is in with everyone trying to keep up profiles of fake happiness while the world is in a state of chaos.

As an artist in 2018, Ryan McMahon is not unfamiliar with the struggles that the demands of a social media presence can place on relationships. He himself has been guilty of dragging the computer and phone to the breakfast table in hopes of getting a jump on the list of posts and marketing required in a day. The video for the song is a direct telling of that story.

“The internet makes us sad,” says Ryan. “The more we look at each other’s highlight reel, the more we falsely believe that our environment is not good enough, big enough or getting enough attention. But, the truth is, if you just tune your attention to your actual environment and are present, you’ll be much more grateful for what you have in your life, and more importantly, who you have in your life.”

With 7 releases and 6 full-length albums under his belt, Ryan McMahon has had such a successful and enduring career that one might forget that he’s also a member of the popular folk/roots group Lion Bear Fox. Ryan cofounded the group in 2012 with songwriting colleagues Cory Woodward and Christopher Arruda, and the band was immediately named as one of the Top 20 Finalists for the 2013 Peak Performance Project in Vancouver. Although Ryan is currently focusing on his own music, you can expect to hear from Lion Bear Fox again in 2019.

“The band worked tirelessly for over 6 years, and everybody agreed that we experienced some degree of burnout,” says Ryan. “We’re taking a few months off, but we do have commitments in Germany, Denmark, and Ontario next summer, so we’ll revisit writing new music before then. As usual, with the band taking a break, I’m attempting to get my new album in as many ears as possible.”

RYAN MCMAHON >> UPCOMING TOUR DATES
Jan 17 – Golden, BC – Jita’s Cafe (Red Couch Sessions Taping)
Jan 20 – Fernie, BC – Fernie Arts Station
Jan 22 – Lethbridge, AB – The Flat
Jan 23 – Cranbrook, BC – Auntie Barb’s Bakery
Jan 24 – Oliver, BC – Firehall Brewery
Jan 25 – Vancouver, BC – Bluelight Studio
Feb 1 – Nanaimo, BC – Queen’s Hotel
Feb 12 -16 – Montreal, QC – Folk Alliance International