Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Suede - Autofiction
This album arrived on the day I managed to get tickets for Suede's March 2023 gig at the O2 Academy in Glasgow, a gig I'll be going to with my three friends, repeating our first...
Articles by David McElroy
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Erasure – Day-Glo (Based On A True Story)
Erasure's recent productivity has been a real joy for fans. Recent albums have seen them return to form, focussing on their classic pure pop sound to incredible effect. 2020's The Neon gathered deserved universal acclaim,...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Rodney Cromwell - Memory Box
Rodney Cromwell, the alter ego of Happy Robots label boss Adam Cresswell, returns this week with his long-awaited second album, Memory Box. It picks up from where its predecessor, Age Of Anxiety, left off. With Memory...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Kraftwerk - Remixes
Being asked to remix Kraftwerk must be a daunting experience. How do you improve upon the works of a band who are arguably as influential as The Beatles? Legendary producer Francois Kervorkian got involved with...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter
Depeche Mode's 130 date Global Spirit Tour ended in Berlin on July 25th 2018 and, following their by now standard plan, the band took a break, having concluded the tour. As soon as any Depeche...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: John Grant - Boy from Michigan
There are fewer modern-day solo artists more fascinating than John Grant. From his early days in The Czars to the melodic masterpiece that was his debut solo release, Queen Of Denmark, to the marvellous Creep...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Sunroof - Electronic Music Improvisations Vol. 1
The news that Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones were going to release an album as Sunroof, a name the pair had previously used for remix collaborations, caused much excitement when it was announced earlier this...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Dohnavùr – The Flow Across Borders
The Flow Across Borders is the second album and debut release on the superb Castles In Space label from Scotland’s Dohnavùr, a duo comprised of Ali O’May and Frazer Brown. The pair met in 2018...
Classic Albums
CLASSIC ALBUM: Depeche Mode - Violator
Usually, when reviewing an album for XS Noize, I'm obliged to give a rating out of ten to reflect how I feel about it. Whenever I am considering how an album rates on that scale,...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: Depeche Mode - Spirit
As you might have gathered from my Classic Album - Violator piece, I'm a Depeche Mode fan. Reviewing them objectively can be hard given my ahem, devotion to the band and the fact that a...
Track Of The Day
Track of the Day: Depeche Mode - 'Where's The Revolution'
After months of near frenzied anticipation among the Depeche Mode fanbase, the band are back with the release of their new single Where's The Revolution. Go on any Depeche forum, Twitter, Facebook and more and...
Album Reviews
Box-set Review: Erasure - From Moscow To Mars
2016 has seen Erasure celebrate their 30th anniversary with a series of superb vinyl re-issues, a one off acoustic gig at a fan party and, crowning the anniversary off perfectly, a 13 disc, career spanning...
Album Reviews
Album Review: Dinosaur Jr - Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
It's an indisputable fact that Dinosaur Jr's Freak Scene is one of the greatest songs of all time. That track, together with their wonderful cover of Just Like Heaven, were my introduction to the band...
Album Reviews
Album Review: Machines In Heaven - Phenomenology
One of the most thrilling things about Glasgow trio Machines In Heaven is the near relentless way in which they develop. Never shy to push their own boundaries, the band have moved on quickly from...
Album Reviews
Album Review: MT Doubt - In Awe Of Nothing
Mt. Doubt's 2015 debut album My Past Is A Quiet Beast was one of my favourite albums of last year with its blend of deep lyrics and dark, intriguing guitar pop a real breath of...
News
Holy Holy announce European Tour including London & Leeds
Following a sold out show at London’s Lexington at the end of last year, Australian duo HOLY HOLY have announced a much anticipated headline show at London’s Electrowerkz on Tuesday 27 September with tickets going...
Track Of The Day
Track Of The Day: Modern Family Unit - Marco Polo
Modern Family Unit return with Marco Polo, a slice of dark electro pop that brings to mind the likes of Motor and Nitzer Ebb. The song has a real menacing edge to begin, enjoyably sinister...
Top Tens
R.E.M – The Top Ten Album tracks of the IRS era ranked
Following R.E.M’s debut single Radio Free Europe on Hib-Tone Records, the band signed with I.R.S Records and remained on that label until 1988 when they signed to Warners. The band’s five studio albums for I.R.S...
Track Of The Day
TRACK OF THE DAY: MT. DOUBT - AFTERGLOW
Mt. Doubt release their first new music of 2016 on April 30th with a 7" single featuring two new tracks Afterglow and Hotel Key. The single is released through the much missed and much loved...
Album Reviews
ALBUM REVIEW: ERRANT BOY - A WAYWARD MIRROR
Errant Boy are an Edinburgh based four piece whose debut album A Wayward Mirror is released on 22 April on Errant Media. I've mentioned them here and on Scottish Fiction before when I reviewed their...
Track Of The Day
TRACK OF THE DAY: THE INSOMNIAC PROJECT - 'VACILLATION'
Glasgow 6 piece The Insomniac Project are back with a new single, Vacillation, and, once again, they've hit gold. Vacillation is a prime example of what The Insomniac Project do best - an infusion of...
