Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

‘Live For What I’d Die For’ is the first single from our newest star in the making, Jess Mills. Having signed to Island records earlier this year, Jess introduced us to her enticing solo material in April with her ‘Vultures EP’. This impressive package came complete with her cover of The Cure’s ‘A Forest’ and a heavyweight line up of remixes from MJ Cole, Nu:Tone and Photek. Also produced by Breakage, ‘Live for What I’d Die For’ goes further to illustrate Jess’s desire to combine classic song writing with her experiences and influences from her love of dance music, long summers spent in Ibiza and her many trips to the likes of Glastonbury from a very early age.Working together on her solo material, Jess and Breakage drew up a widescreen list of reference points that included The Cure, Portishead, Massive Attack and Radiohead – but knew from the start that Mills's songs would inevitably, absolutely, contain two feelings any seasoned club kid would understand on a cellular level: a s

Ren Harvieu is brand new, just out of her teens, realer than real ale. She sounds one way and looks and acts completely differently. Very little is known about her, virtually no online presence, no Brit School training, no showbiz connections, just a young girl with a truly remarkable voice and a set of songs that will stir your soul and break your heart. The youngest of three girls, her dad sang in pubs in and around Manchester, while Ren sang in the odd local talent show, one called ‘Salford Superstar’. 20 year old Salford born singer Ren Harvieu, has her debut single “Through The Night” released on July 4th through Kid Gloves/Island Records. Co-written by Ren, Chris O’Neill and Ed Harcourt and produced by Jimmy Hogarth, this beautifully orchestrated slice of classic yearning is taken from the album, also entitled, ”Through The Night” which will be released in September. Ren has just been confirmed to appear on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury on Saturday June 25 and has als

Louisiana meets Stockport in Barnstaple, as Blues legend Larry Garner is reunited with one of the UK’s top five-piece bands, The Norman Beaker Band, in a much anticipated gig taking place in the studio at Barnstaple’s Queen’s Theatre (to allow space for that all-important dancing), on Wednesday 1 st June. - Read More

Five years on from his debut album, Tom Vek is back. Following much speculation, Tom Vek’s brand new single A Chore was premiered  (Monday 18th April) by Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and is available to buy immediately as a digital download. It’s accompanied by a brilliant Ollie Evans-directed video that can be seen right now at WWW.TOMVEK.TV  The single precedes the release of Tom Vek’s highly anticipated second album. Titled Leisure Seizure, the twelve track album will be released on 6th June 2011 on Island Records, available on CD, LP and download. Tom Vek will also mark the release of Leisure Seizure with a five date UK headline tour, including a London show at Heaven.  The full tour dates are: 13th June - Manchester Ruby Lounge 14th June - Glasgow Classic Grand 15th June - Birmingham HMV Institute Library 16th June - London Heaven 18th June - Brighton Concorde 2

G. Love has announced the details of his new album, Fixin’ To Die, set for release on on Brushfire Records. Recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC, and produced by The Avett Brothers, this new body of work is arguably G. Love’s most sincere and candid work to date. After a chance meeting in Boston last fall, G. Love and The Avett Brothers forged a friendship and bonded over their love of back road blues. After performing together onstage and discovering their shared musical heritage, G. Love invited Scott and Seth Avett to not only produce his new album, but perform on it as well. The result is Fixin’ To Die, a collection of  G. Love originals, rearranged traditionals, and a classic cover, many simmering for over a decade, all sharing a common goal: to strip away all pretense and capture the original spirit and sound G. Love has cultivated over his entire career but never fully embraced until now. From the ragged jangle of its opener “Milk & Sugar” and floorboard stomp

As Glastonbury Festival celebrates its 40 th Anniversary we thought we would highlight a few of the new up and coming artists appearing at the 2010 event, some of whom, like Jack Johnson and Tinchy Stryder, will also be appearing on that iconic Pyramid Stage some day soon. If you are lucky enough to be there or watching on TV check out our favourites. Florence and the Machine Mumford and Sons Bombay Bicycle Club Ellie Goulding I Blame Coco The Drums Two Door Cinema Club Glastonbury Festival site Line up and Stages BBC Glastonbury 2010  Click here to shop Play.com for Festival Music and more Click on the tags on the Focus Music Blog for artist biogs, news, other live gigs and new releases.