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

FROM MARK, TOM AND TRAVIS : It is with heavy hearts that we have to announce our planned 2011 European Summer tour has been rescheduled. When we booked the tour last year, we were confident that we would have the new album out before the Summer. Turns out we were mistaken as the album is taking longer than we thought and won't be out till later this year. We hoped we would have some new songs to play rather than do another 'greatest hits tour' which you all saw last Summer. As much as we know our fans would be cool with that, we feel that we owe you guys something new when you spend your money to come see us. Frankly, it's what needs to continue for us to remain vital. The three of us are working very hard to do what we set out to do when we re-formed...get a new blink-182 album recorded. Apologies to all of our fans who have bought tickets and were looking forward to the Summer shows but we'll be back soon with the rescheduled dates in Summer 2012, have a new al

A talented multi-instrumentalist with a voice reminiscent of Joanna Newsom, Lykke Li and PJ Harvey, Detroit born Alex Winston is causing quite a stir in the pop world. Having recently headlined a NME Awards Show, signed to Island Records, Alex is now making serious waves in America – her video for last single ‘Locomotive’ was the number 1 most played video on Pitchfork TV. Taken from her critically acclaimed mini album (of the same name), new single ‘Sister Wife’ will be released as a digital download on May 16th through Island Records. Written by Alex and produced by New York whizz-kids The Knocks, ‘Sister Wife’ looks back at Winston’s upbringing in Detroit. The soulful chorus, “Hey there sister wife / Get the hell out / It’s my night / You don’t know they way to his heart like I do” is set against a wall of melody and muscular percussion. The defiant ‘Sister Wife’ highlights an impressive skill for crafting the perfect pop song and beckons at a talent we’re only just discovering.

If you have just missed the fantastic BBC 4  series The Killing , don't worry, critically acclaimed and billed as one of the finest murder investigation series ever produced, this riveting thriller is now out on DVD THE PLOT The murder of a young girl launches Detective Sarah Lund into an extended police investigation. Lund's plans for a new life in Sweden are put on hold as she can't bring herself to leave the case behind. As the parents of the dead girl's parents and friends struggle to cope with their loss, a link is revealed between city hall and the murder, causing a dilemma for one of Copenhagen's mayoral candidates. Over the course of twenty episodes, one for every day of the investigation, Copenhagen's secret corruption and power struggles are intriguingly unravelled as the hunt for the killer intensifies and the truth becomes ever harder to find. Click here to read about the series, cast and characters at BBC4 Buy the The Killing 5Dvd 2011 CLICK T