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

The Lonely Island, the Grammy nominated rap trio comprised of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, released the highly anticipated ‘The Wack Album’ on June 10th . The group’s third studio effort will include new songs featuring Pharrell Williams, T-Pain, Billie Joe Armstrong, Solange, and more special guests. These artists join previously announced collaborators Adam Levine, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga. The group have kicked off ‘Wack Wednesdays’ on their YouTube Channel . Every Wednesday leading up to the release of ‘The Wack Album’, they will debut new content including music videos, exclusive announcements, and world premieres of tracks. These videos will also be distributed on twitter via @thelonelyisland with #wackwednesdays. The Lonely Island recently released the album’s lead single, ‘YOLO’ (feat. Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar), which has garnered over 40 million views on YouTube in only three months. The trio also boasts a staggering 1.2 b

The Montreal quartet will release ‘Dark Eyes’ through Glassnote/Communion/Island Records on the 1st July 2013. It will be preceded by a new single, ‘Call Me In The Afternoon ’, on the 24th June. Recorded in Montreal, the album was produced by the band alongside Nygel Asselin, Daniel Legace, and Jim Eno. Its release will be surrounded by a handful of UK live shows including two performances at the Glastonbury Festival, and a headline show at Village Underground in London. ‘Dark Eyes’ Tracklisting : Full Circle, Call Me In The Afternoon, No More Losing The War, She Wants To Know, Need It, Give Up, Judgement, Unofferable, Drug You, Nerve, Fire Escape, 21 Gun Salute. Watch the video to ‘Call Me In The Afternoon’ here:   Half Moon Run Live: 25 th June – Village Underground, London 26 th June – The Haunt, Brighton 28 th June – Glastonbury Festival 29 th June – Glastonbury Festival 2 nd July – The Deaf Institute, Manchester 18 th July – Latitude Festival, Suffolk 2

Sam Martin, one half of the songwriting team behind Youngblood Hawke’s debut album ‘Wake Up’, which charted at #11 on the iTunes album chart in the US (it was Editors Choice) – describes their sound the best: "It has elements of pop, rock, indie and dance." The band’s first single to be taken from the album ‘We Come Running’ - which will also be released on 5th August, already has a string of accolades behind it including over 1.8 million YouTube video hits, a Top 25 in Billboard’s Hot AC chart, a Gold sales status in Australia and features in an international Coke commercial due to hit the UK this summer, encapsulates that sentiment. A propulsive beat builds alongside shimmering bells as Martin's massive refrain soars. "It's like a personal message to the band," the vocalist reveals. "It announces that if we work our asses off, they're going to hear the sound when we come running. We're going to get our chance." Alongside his lo