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Danielle Duval will play a show at the London Music Hall on November 2.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. I was thinking about the 1980s recently and how jarringly different the music industry is now from then. The industry was built on an entirely different system of sales; it seems looking back as though albums and artists had a much more explosive potential, that even Canadian artists could become global stars and sell albums hand over foot.

Bryan Adams was the first Canadian to sell a million copies of a record when his 1984 album Reckless was Diamond-certified a year following its release. The album features smashes like "Summer of '69," "Run to You" and "It's Only Love" featuring Tina Turner, but is most recognizable for the kind of unabashed optimism and personal integrity found in its analyses of love, life and music.

Realistically, few albums as earnest and passionate as that have had the opportunity to achieve such a wide reach since then. Thankfully, that hasn't kept a lot of spectacular artists from reaching for the stars anyway.

"I'm glad to be a part of things now," Danielle Duval said recently, speaking to Interrobang before embarking on tour with PEI's Paper Lions throughout Ontario and Quebec last week. "Maybe things were easier back in the 1980s, but it's still an exciting time to be in music."

Duval, whose debut full-length album Of The Valley was released in May, has a lot to be excited about; not only is her album gaining steam and opening a lot of unique doors, but it features an impressive roster of Canadian talent as guest performers. Her show with Paper Lions is on November 2 in the London Music Hall lounge.

To get an idea of Duval's live show, look to her new album. Unlike many solo artists, she embraced creativity and spontaneity and formed the record with her band, transforming the sessions into a testament to the combination of good music and good friends — highly listenable music played by friends who obviously enjoy the hell out of playing it.

"I started working with two producers — Carlin Nicholson and Mike O'Brien of Zeus," she said, describing their Toronto studio full of vintage equipment as though it was a home she'd long left and missed. "Friends would stop by to hang out and then end up playing on something, friends like Bahamas or The Golden Dogs or Jason Collett, who sang on the song 'Sundowner.'"

Which is what makes Of The Valley remarkable: generally speaking, as most artists get deeper into their art, they get deeper into doubt. Duval took such a fearless route in sharing so personal a process with her friends, adding real strength to the album.

"It does take courage to let go, but I think I was just ready to do that; I was ready to let go of a lot of things and I was ready to trust people. And I think the connection I felt with Carlin and Mike was very integral to that."

Duval recreates that vibe live by maintaining a strong connection with her band, in essence taking the spirit of the album on the road and into performances on stage.

"When you get up on stage to share your music with an audience, I feel like you have to be friends with the people that you're playing with," Duval explained. "You have to hang out with them on a daily basis, I think that adds something to the music — the more open you are to that type of thing, the bigger your music will get."

"I'm very much looking forward to these dates with Paper Lions, it's going to be a good stretch, I think," she said. Considering the impact that musical camaraderie played in the conception and realization of her album, Duval may bestow few compliments greater than that.

Duval's return to London on November 2 with Paper Lions kicks off at the London Music Hall lounge and is an all-ages event, tickets are $12 and doors open at 8 p.m. This coming show is her second trip to London in as many months — she performed here on October 3 with Jason Collett. For more on Duval and her album, visit ofthevalley.com or follow on Twitter @danielle_duval.

And for more of the latest music news, views and more, consider following this column @fsu_bobbyisms. Get out and support some great Canadian talent, I'm out of words.