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

Mona today announce details of their debut album, ‘Mona’, which will be released through the band’s own imprint Zion Noiz Recordings/Island Records on CD, Digital Download and limited edition collectors vinyl from May 16th. The band will also play their biggest show so far at the Electric Ballroom a day later. The album, which was originally recorded in the band’s Nashville basement, was mixed by Rich Costey (Muse, Foo Fighters, Glasvegas) and produced by the band. Following a series of sold out shows across the UK, including London’s Garage, the band have confirmed they will be headlining their biggest show to date, playing to over 1200 people at London’s Electric Ballroom on May 17th. Tickets went on sale on Friday 11th February, for an exclusive fan pre sale head over to www.monatheband.com/signup.php . 2011 has started strongly for Mona, winning MTV’s Brand New For 2011, polling over 35% of of 200,000 public votes and beating off competition from Jessie J, The Vaccines and Jamie

As Japan recovers from the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck on March 11, the world’s top recording artists respond to the tragedy with this benefit album. The 38 tracks include some of their biggest hits, featuring an exclusive remix of Lady GaGa’s “Born This Way,” Katy Perry’s “Thinking of You,” Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon,” Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love," and more.  All proceeds go to the Japanese Red Cross.

New Island Records signing Alex Clare, whose Diplo & Switch produced debut single  “Up All Night” has generated a genuine buzz across radio, press and the blogosphere, follows up with the April 18th release of his new single “ Too Close ” . The single, produced once again by Diplo & Switch, is taken from Clare’s forthcoming debut album which will be released in the summer. The 25 year old Golders Green native recently previewed tracks from the album during a couple of incendiary live shows and will be putting in more live shows in the coming months. Clare writes and sings his own songs but is not a singer songwriter, not in the traditional sense anyway. After playing in a succession of London bands and following a brief career as a chef, too many long hours and too many sliced fingers, Alex decided to go it alone and started writing songs and demoing them himself. Things happened very quickly from there. The demos found their way to Island Records and two weeks later a deal was