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  • LIVE REVIEW: Coheed and Cambria Illuminate Nottingham’s Rock City with Progressive Power
  • ALBUM REVIEW: Kool & The Gang – Greatest Hits
  • The Damned announce special new covers album “Not Like Everybody Else” in tribute to Brian James
  • Glen Matlock on Reclaiming His Story in ‘I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol’ | XS Noize Podcast #254
  • Chet Faker Announces New Album ‘A Love For Strangers’ — Out 13th February 2026
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  • News
        • The Damned
          News

          The Damned announce special new covers album “Not Like Everybody Else” in tribute to Brian James

          October 27, 2025

          The Damned announce the release of “Not Like Everybody Else”, a deeply personal and celebratory covers album – dedicated to the memory of Brian James, the band’s legendary founding guitarist, who passed away on 6th […]

          Chet Faker
          News

          Chet Faker Announces New Album ‘A Love For Strangers’ — Out 13th February 2026

          October 24, 2025

          Today, critically acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Chet Faker officially kicks off the exciting next chapter of his storied career with the announce of his new album A Love For Strangers, slated for release on February 13th 2026 on […]

          Cast
          News

          Cast Unveil New Single ‘Calling Out Your Name’ Ahead of Headline Tour

          October 24, 2025

          Cast have enjoyed the summer of a lifetime, creating unforgettable memories for the band and fans alike as they won over stadiums in the UK, Ireland and North America as guests to Oasis. That life-affirming […]

  • Reviews
        • Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Kool & The Gang – Greatest Hits
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Kool & The Gang – Greatest Hits

          October 27, 2025

          Few bands embody the joyous intersection of funk, soul, and pop quite like Kool & The Gang. With a career spanning six decades and 23 studio albums, their influence runs deep; from disco dancefloors and […]

          ALBUM REVIEW: The Lovely Eggs – Bin Juice
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: The Lovely Eggs – Bin Juice

          October 16, 2025

          “It’s a shit business”, proclaimed Les McQueen of Crème Brulee fame about the music industry. It is certainly a brutal business, as many have discovered. A fair chunk of the issue is the volume of […]

        • Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N - Esther Yi
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N – Esther Yi

          October 30, 2023

          K-Pop has reached an international audience. This year, BLACKPINK made history as the first K-pop band to headline a major UK festival at Hyde Park. The media’s coverage of BTS member’s enlistment into compulsory military […]

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes

          August 29, 2023

          How does one become qualified to write a fictional music novel? The author of Sophomore Songs offers some clues. Growing up reading NME, doing a stint at Clash, drumming for several bands on and off, and […]

        • Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 25: Looking back at the orphan child in U2's discography 2
          Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 26: Looking back at the orphan child in U2’s discography

          March 3, 2022

          In March of 1997, 26 years ago, U2 released their much anticipated ninth studio album POP; for fans and critics alike, it quickly became their most polarizing release. There is a prevailing feeling that POP […]

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran 2
          Album Reviews

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran

          June 17, 2021

          This week sees the 40th anniversary of Duran Duran’s self-titled debut album. XS Noize looks back on this momentous release from a band that would become the ‘Fab Five’ of the ‘80s. It was December […]

        • Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Coheed and Cambria Illuminate Nottingham’s Rock City with Progressive Power Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Coheed and Cambria Illuminate Nottingham’s Rock City with Progressive Power

          October 27, 2025

          An exceptional night of musicianship and energy unfolded as Coheed and Cambria brought their spellbinding brand of progressive metal to Nottingham’s Rock City on October 22nd. From the very first notes, the band drenched the […]

          LIVE REVIEW: Graham Nash Brings Timeless Harmony and Heart to the London Palladium
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Graham Nash Brings Timeless Harmony and Heart to the London Palladium

          October 21, 2025

          Many artists proudly boast of having special guests on their tours, but few can introduce one with the grace and humility of Graham Nash. Best known for his pivotal roles in The Hollies and Crosby, […]

        • Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018
          Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018

          December 22, 2018

          2018 has been an incredible year for albums. The year saw the strongest new acts in decades release their debuts, as well as a number of alternative legends returning to top form. The world of dance […]

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP
          Round Up

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP

          October 29, 2018

          Welcome to the October 2018 edition of our monthly new music playlist, which is available to listen to and watch via YouTube. If you enjoy any of the songs featured here, we encourage you to support […]

        • In Focus

          IN FOCUS// Punk Spirit Burns Bright as SLF, PiL & Sham 69 Rock Custom House Square © Bernie McAllister
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Punk Spirit Burns Bright as SLF, PiL & Sham 69 Rock Custom House Square

          August 17, 2025

          Putting the Fast in Belfast 7 once again proved why it has become a staple of the city’s summer music calendar. A packed Custom House Square buzzed with anticipation as fans from across generations gathered […]

          IN FOCUS// Bryan Adams Brings Joy and Nostalgia to Leeds on ‘Roll With the Punches’ Tour Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Bryan Adams Brings Joy and Nostalgia to Leeds on ‘Roll With the Punches’ Tour

          May 20, 2025

          Legendary Canadian rocker Bryan Adams brought his unstoppable energy to Leeds on May 10th as part of his Roll With the Punches tour — and it was nothing short of a euphoric celebration of life, […]

  • Gigs
        • Hans Zimmer
          Gigs

          Hans Zimmer: The ultimate fan’s guide

          August 27, 2025

          Hans Zimmer, the genius behind Hollywood’s most unforgettable scores, is back on tour with an electrifying live experience to share with his fans. From “Inception” to “Dune”, Zimmer is preparing to transform his soundscapes into […]

          Andrea Bocelli
          Gigs

          The ultimate fans guide to seeing Andrea Bocelli in Amsterdam

          August 21, 2025

          The Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, will be at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on March 29 and 30, 2026. The show will feature a mix of operatic tracks, pop songs, and classical repertoire. Bocelli is […]

          Eros Ramazzotti
          Gigs

          Eros Ramazzotti: Dates, venues, tickets and more

          August 18, 2025

          To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his breakout single, “Una Storia Importante”, Eros Ramazzotti will be performing live on some of the grandest stages across Europe, Latin America, and North America. Ramazzotti is a world-renowned […]

  • Interviews
        • :Panic :Over
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: :Panic :Over Are Turning Northern Irish Indie Into a Global Sound

          October 16, 2025

          Neal McClelland meets the Northern Irish band whose anthemic sound is turning heads from Belfast to Tokyo. There’s something electric about catching a band right before liftoff — that mix of confidence, humour, and disbelief […]

          Fabrizio Cammarata
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Fabrizio Cammarata on Solitude, Connection, and the Inner Worlds of His New Album “Insularities”

          October 10, 2025

          Sicilian singer-songwriter Fabrizio Cammarata has returned with Insularities — a quietly profound exploration of connection, isolation, transformation, and memory. The record invites listeners into a space between light and shadow, where grief and love share […]

          Asha Maclean
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Asha Maclean on Her Single “Yoga,” Creative Roots, and Staying True to Herself

          June 25, 2025

          Asha Maclean grew up in a deeply creative household, so it’s little surprise that she emerged as a multitalented artist in her own right. Immersed in music and dance from a young age, she first […]

  • Podcast
        • Glen Matlock
          Podcast

          Glen Matlock on Reclaiming His Story in ‘I Was a Teenage Sex Pistol’ | XS Noize Podcast #254

          October 26, 2025

          In this episode, #254 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by a true architect of punk — Glen Matlock, the original bassist and founding spark of The Sex Pistols. Glen co-wrote ten […]

          white lies
          Podcast

          White Lies: Inside the Sonic Freedom and Creative Telepathy of “Night Light” | XS Noize Podcast #253

          October 21, 2025

          In this episode, #253 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Charles Cave and Jack Lawrence-Brown from White Lies to discuss their electrifying seventh album Night Light. This bold, live-driven reinvention captures […]

          The Slow Readers Club
          Podcast

          The Slow Readers Club’s Aaron Starkie: Celebrating “A Decade of Cavalcade” | XS Noize Podcast #252

          October 18, 2025

          In this episode, #252 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Aaron Starkie from The Slow Readers Club to celebrate A Decade of Cavalcade — marking ten years since the Manchester band’s […]

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Articles by Pearse O'Kane

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Pearse O'Kane
Fav Band: The LibertinesFav Album: Up The Bracket
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ALBUM REVIEW: WORKING FOR A NUCLEAR FREE CITY - WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ALL DAY?
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: WORKING FOR A NUCLEAR FREE CITY – WHAT DO PEOPLE DO ALL DAY?

January 29, 2016 Pearse O'Kane

Manchester based Working for a Nuclear Free City return from a five year silence with What Do People Do All Day, a fourteen track barrage of experimental indie pop tracks and nu-gaze musings that more […]

SAUROPOD - share new track 'HEADPHONES' + announce debut album 'ROARING AT THE STORM' due 22nd
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: SAUROPOD – ROARING AT THE STORM

January 19, 2016 Pearse O'Kane

Norwegian alt-rockers SAUROPOD combine elements of a variety of punk sub-genres on their debut album. Channeling Pixies and Sonic Youth, the album is an attempt to update and modernize grunge and post-punk music, employing smooth […]

RARE MONK release Self-Titled EP
Album Reviews

REVIEW: RARE MONK – RARE MONK EP

December 8, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

The self-titled EP from Portland based quintet Rare Monk is only the band’s third outing, following their own self released Death by Proxy EP in 2012 and 2014’s Splice/Sleep Attack 7-inch the band return with […]

ALBUM REVIEW: GUY GARVEY - COURTING THE SQUALL
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: GUY GARVEY – COURTING THE SQUALL

November 7, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

Courting The Squall, the debut solo album by Guy Garvey is an album full of variety, the song’s ‘don’t fit the Elbow template’, instead bringing the singer to new ground, with its quietly experimental approach. […]

The ENEMY - announce 4th Album 'It's Automatic' and UK Tour Dates
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: THE ENEMY – ‘It’s Automatic’

October 15, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

Back from a three year break, ‘The Enemy’ return with their fourth studio album, ‘It’s Automatic’, an eleven track affair with influences from the late 90’s and early 2000’s indie and Britpop scenes. Despite lasting […]

ALBUM REVIEW: SWIM DEEP - MOTHERS
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: SWIM DEEP – MOTHERS

October 2, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

Following on from 2013’s ‘Where the Heaven Are We’, indie-pop five piece Swim Deep from Birmingham are back with their most electronic and frenzied material yet. With the addition of percussionist and keyboard player James […]

ALBUM REVIEW: STEREOPHONICS - KEEP THE VILLAGE ALIVE
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: STEREOPHONICS – KEEP THE VILLAGE ALIVE

September 17, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

In August 1997, Stereophonics released their debut studio album, Word Gets Around, which bore five singles and peaked at number six in the UK music charts. Now, eighteen years on they have released their eighth […]

ALBUM REVIEW: CHRIS CORNELL - EUPHORIA MOURNING
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: CHRIS CORNELL – EUPHORIA MOURNING

September 6, 2015 Pearse O'Kane

For the past two decades Chris Cornell has been one of alternative rocks most revered artists, often considered one of the most prominent figures of the 90’s grunge movement as the singer, songwriter and rhythm […]

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