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

LOWER THAN ATLANTIS have announced that due to manufacturing issues, their major label debut album “Changing Tune” will now be released on 1 October 2012 via Island Records. The first single from the album, “Love Someone Else” is currently available via iTunes and has a radio impact date of 1st October. The album artwork can be seen below. LOWER THAN ATLANTIS will embark upon a headline tour in October and the dates are as follows: Tune into Zane Lowe BBC Radio 1 from 7.00pm Monday 1st October Exeter Phoenix Tuesday 2nd October Southampton Mo’Club Wednesday 3rd October Bristol Trinity Thursday 4th October Nottingham Rescue Rooms Friday 5th October Glasgow Garage Sunday 7th October Manchester Club Academy Monday 8th October Norwich Arts Centre Tuesday 9th October Birmingham Academy 2 Wednesday 10th October Leeds Cockpit Thurs...

“ We wanted to do something unashamed,” says Ben Lovett. “We’re confident and happy to be where we are as a band — everything that’s happened with us has exceeded expectations, and it’s all been a surprise, it’s all much bigger than what we were prepared for. So when we came to recording this record we had a choice: to shy away from that, or to realise that people dig what we’re doing, and make something robust, with that energy . ” It was December 2010, and Mumford and Sons had been on the road since the previous summer: a glorious, eventful, yet relentless time. Standing somewhere between exhilarated and exhausted, the plan now was for the band’s four members to spend a few weeks apart, write, recuperate, and then reconvene in Nashville in the New Year, with the intention of trying out material for their second album. The informality of the set-up in Tennessee perhaps helped to dispel any nerves they may have had about following up 2009’s Sigh No More, an album that had gone four t...

Mumford & Sons release their new single, ‘I Will Wait’ on the 24th September 2012. It is the first single to be taken from their second album, Babel, released on the same day. The story of Mumford & Sons has been written and mapped out on the road. Since before the release of 2009’s debut album Sigh No More, the band has rarely been off tour, but the recording of Babel brought them off the road and back into the studio. Many of the songs on the new record found their dynamic through years of tested live performance. ‘Whispers In The Dark’, ‘Lover Of The Light’, ‘Below My Feet’, ‘Lovers’ Eyes’ and ‘Hopeless Wanderer’ might be familiar to fans that have seen the band perform live over the past eighteen months across the world. Babel was produced by Marcus Dravs, a man whom the band trusts to replicate and to understand the importance of live energy as much as they do. In a similar fashion to its predecessor, it is a record that marries the upbeat with the intimate, and the unr...

21 year old Salford born singer Ren Harvieu, whose breathtaking voice has had the critics reaching for the superlatives and whose critically acclaimed debut album “Through The Night” entered the UK chart at no. 5, has here brand new single “Do Right By Me” released on October 1st through Kid Gloves/Island Records. The single is released ahead of Ren’s first major UK tour which gets underway in Glasgow on Sunday October 7th. Full list of dates below. Ren has been busy with festivals during the summer performing with rap superstar Nas at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend, T In The Park, Camp Bestival and V festivals and is also due to play Bestival on September 9th. October 2012   Sunday 7th Glasgow Oran Mor Monday 8th Gateshead Sage Tuesday 9th Manchester The Ritz Thursday 11th Liverpool Stanley Theatre Friday 12th Birm...

Jessie Ware 's hugely anticipated debut album ' Devotion ' yesterday capped a flurry of critical praise with a much coveted nomination for this year’s Mercury Prize. Having previously gone straight into the album chart Top Five, this accolade confirms Jessie as one of the UK's brightest new stars. With album single 'Wildest Moments' going on to the BBC Radio 1 A-list and recently receiving an intimate rendition on BBC One's Breakfast Show, now comes new single ' Night Light '. True to its name, 'Night Light ' sees Jessie's powerhouse vocal shining with stirring emotion to a backdrop of swirling guitars, majestic piano flourishes and addictive down-tempo rhythm. Released ---- on PMR Records, ‘ Night Light ’ is equal parts modern soul and timeless pop that demonstrates yet again that Jessie Ware is in a class entirely of her own. Along with this, Jessie Ware will be embarking on her first UK and Ireland headline tour in Novembe...

LADYHAWKE releases her new single ‘Blue Eyes’ on September 17th 2012 on Modular through Island Records. The track is taken from her critically acclaimed second album ‘Anxiety’ released in July this year and will include remixes from Jacques Renault, Alison Wonderland, Junior and label mates Canyons. The video for the single is available now to view on the link below. The clip was shot in the incredible Oceano Dunes, California under the direction of Jess Holzworth whose previous work includes ‘Gamma Ray’ Beck. Watch it here Following Ladyhawke’s sold out UK tour in May, more UK dates are to be announced shortly. See website for details. www.ladyhawkemusic.com www.facebook.com/ladyhawke www.modularpeople.com LADYHAWKE NEW SINGLE ‘BLUE EYES’ 17/09/2012 INTERNATIONAL LIVE STREAMING DEBUT: ‘100% misty-eyed mobiles-in-the-air brilliance’ – NME

Annie Mac IS dance music’s first lady. She is one of Radio 1’s flagship DJs, a frequent headliner at stadiums, parties, clubs and festivals around the world, (from Ibiza and Miami to the mountain ranges of Japan) and the founder of the Annie Mac Presents brand. She is also known for spotting the stars of tomorrow today, with everyone from Katy B, Justice and DJ Fresh through to Azealia Banks, Frank Ocean and Plan B all getting high praise early on via Miss Mac and her Friday night show. This autumn will see Annie Mac and her Annie Mac Presents brand upping its game further. The AMP tour is getting bigger (with more dates in larger venues) and the forthcoming AMP 2012 compilation will feature exclusive material for the first time. Annie Mac Presents Superstar DJs will be broadcast in October on Channel 4 and sees Annie interviewing and exploring the lives and lifestyles of some of the biggest and most credible names in dance music and clubbing culture. The AMP 2012 compilation, rele...