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

Like a bolt from the blue, The Drums return with their second album, ‘Portamento’ to be released on September 12th through Moshi Moshi / Island Records. ‘Portamento’ - released just over a year since their debut - reveals a band tugging lightly at the boundaries of their sound while still retaining their recognizable sonic signatures. Sweet rushes of melody and brittle synthesizer sheens colliding with wiry Spector-esque guitar lines are still very much present, but singer, Jonny Pierce’s lyrics have assumed a deeper, personal tone and coupled with the band’s own more expansive production, ‘Portamento’ is a more complex, but ultimately more rewarding listen than their debut. Emerging from Brooklyn via Florida in 2010, The Drums initially caught the ear of the indie world with their ‘ Summertime! ’ EP - an escapist collection of beach pop fantasies – which preceded their self-titled debut album, released in June 2010. ‘The Drums’ has gone on to sell 200,000 albums world-wide, reflecting...

It’s been an explosive introduction for young West Country singer-songwriter Ben Howard. Having only signed his record deal with Island Records at the beginning of the year, Ben had already accrued a hefty fanbase across the UK and Europe through sheer persistent touring, and the word of mouth support that followed. With the release of his debut EP, ‘Old Pine’ this Spring, that fanbase is still growing by the day, and raced into the Top 20 iTunes chart within a few hours of its release. Old Pine’s success was predominantly buoyed by the incredibly supportive surf community that nurtured Ben in Devon and Cornwall and now across the whole UK over the past couple of years, but also by the support from national and regional radio stations across the UK. Old Pine was playlisted at 6Music and XFM, and received repeat rotation and celebrated sessions at Radio 1 (Zane Lowe, Fearne Cotton) and Radio 2 (Jo Whiley, Dermot O’Leary, Janice Long) which has since garnered further acclaim at press, b...

James Morrison releases his incredible third album “The Awakening” on Island Records on September 26. The album, his first for the label, was produced by Bernard Butler and was recorded at Konk studios in London. It follows the huge global success of James’s previous two albums which, together, have sold more than 4.5 million copies worldwide. His 2006 debut album “Undiscovered” topped the UK album chart whilst the 2008 follow-up album “Songs For You, Truths For Me” included “Broken Strings”, the collaboration with Nelly Furtado which sold in excess of 1.5 million copies. “The Awakening” also includes an amazing collaboration, this time with Jessie J on the track “Up”. This, and one other track, was produced by Mark Taylor. All other tracks were produced by Bernard Butler. James Morrison said; “Working with Bernard Butler on this album has brought a whole new dimension to the songs. For me this album combines influences stemming from my deep love for classic soul – Marvin Gaye, Stevie ...

D.A.I.S.Y. Age . The concept first introduced by the legendary De La Soul, it stands for “Da inner sound ya’ll”. Welcome to the sound of Rizzle Kicks, the duo that are here to provide 2011’s “inner sound”. At 19 years-old, Jordan and Harley are two of the UK’s most exciting young talents. Having known each other since they were little kids, they’ve grown up together, shared the same friends, same experiences, same schools and above all a passion and taste for music that’s taken over both their lives. Having already turned heads (and made many a crowd bounce) with the recently released ‘Prophet’ – a track that was instantly embraced by Radio 1 who booked the duo to play at the Big Weekender as soon as they heard it – Jordan and Harley are now ready to drop their summer “anvil”, the brilliant ‘ Down With The Trumpets ’. With the single already a huge favourite with their fanbase – the original version was first posted on their ever-active YouTube profile last year – it’s now getting it’...

After such brilliant across the board reactions to her first ever full length album, Miss Blay has undoubtedly proved her worth and cemented her status as one of this year’s most talented and refreshing UK pop prospects. ‘Yellow’ is the next single to be released on August 8 and is the perfect soundtrack to the summer as Anita embarks on her festival appearances at Glastonbury, headlining the Lake Stage at Latitude, Underage, Field Day and Reading & Leeds. CocknBullKid has also been busying herself with her inspired Covered Off series of videos in which she joins forces with fellow musicians to record their version of a favourite track. The first Covered Off saw Clare Maguire singing Plan B’s She Said over a cuppa, the second was with Anita’s part collaborator on the album Gonzales, and the third sees Eliza Doolittle and Anita smashing Destiny’s Child’s Bills Bills Bills in a hair salon.  WHAT'S THE WORD “We are obsessed!!! Easily the best and most exciting new artist we...

Jon Fratelli’s debut solo album Psycho Jukebox will be released on the Island label on July 25th ’11. Like any jukebox worth its salt it’s chock full of the kind of solid gold easy action that makes you want to smile, chant, dance, sing, drum, shout, and throw the windows wide to annoy the neighbours. Psycho Jukebox marks something of a new beginning for one of Scotland’s most prolific and talented songwriters. Psycho Jukebox was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Tony Hoffer (Beck , Air, Depeche Mode), who first worked with Jon in 2006 on The Fratellis’ debut album, Costello Music, which spawned the rousing, witty hits ‘Chelsea Dagger’, ‘Henrietta’ and ‘Flathead’ which established The Fratellis’ reputation as a band with crunching, dynamic rock songs, clever lyrics populated with intriguing, Kinks-y characters, and an uncommonly sharp ear for melody. When touring for second Frats album Here We Stand ended in 2008, the band took a much-needed break, and Jon threw himself into Cod...

Nicki Minaj, the hottest new artist on the planet, has her brand new Young Money/Cash Money single “Super Bass” released on June 20th. The brilliant video for “ Super Bass ” went online last week and has rocketed to a staggering 11 million views! The track has already been a massive internet sensation with virals of versions by Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez racking up over 4.5 million views. “Super Bass” is taken from Minaj’s wildly acclaimed 2 million selling debut album “Pink Friday”. Nicki has just finished slaying audiences across the US co-headlining with friend and mentor Lil Wayne on the sold–out “I Am Music II” tour and is confirmed as the special guest on Britney Spear’s forthcoming US tour. With 2 million albums sold globally, Nicki’s latest feature on David Guetta’s “Where Them Girls At” topping the charts worldwide, 8 million likes on Facebook, 3 million followers on Twitter, a gold album in the UK and a profile that is rising by the day, here are some of the things the U...