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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 Sandra Blemster

Xsnoize Author
Sandra Blemster
Sandra mainly writes about indie/rock bands and has written many features, album reviews and interviews for XS Noize.Favourite bands and albums is a long list but to name a few Horslips, REM, Love, The Doors, Let It Bee – Voice of the Beehive, Velvet Underground and Nico album. (Ozric Tentacles live), October Drift. Sandra likes yoga, reading a good book, watching films, Netflix and drinking wine.
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Album Review: Augustines – This Is Your Life
Album Reviews

Album Review: Augustines – This Is Your Life

June 20, 2016 Sandra Blemster

This is Your Life is the Augustine’s third album for this Brooklyn based trio following on from their 2014 self-titled album which spawned a headline date at the legendary Roundhouse in London. Having recently sold […]

Album Review:  Seratones – Get Gone
Album Reviews

Album Review: Seratones – Get Gone

May 30, 2016 Sandra Blemster

It was a love of punk-rock music that brought this four-piece from Shreveport, Louisiana together a few years ago. In a city of no fixed musical genre gigging in the same circles at local barbecue […]

Review: Gigantic Indie All Dayer Volume 3 - One Day Festival
Live Reviews

Review: Gigantic Indie All Dayer Volume 3 – One Day Festival

May 30, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Its Facebook page cites: “Great bands, great people, no rip off festival prices and a damn good vibe…a big, big love” and this is what I was expecting for this event. I’d been wanting to […]

Album Review: Catfish And The Bottlemen - The Ride
Album Reviews

Album Review: Catfish And The Bottlemen – The Ride

May 17, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Catfish and the Bottlemen sprung onto the music scene in 2014 with their debut album The Balcony which sold 250,000 records. They are Van McCann (vocals/guitar), Johnny Bond (guitar), Benji Blakeway (bass) and Bob Hall […]

INTERVIEW: TREETOP FLYERS chat about new album + tour
Interviews

INTERVIEW: TREETOP FLYERS chat about new album + tour

April 17, 2016 Sandra Blemster

It’s April 2016 and London based band Treetop Flyers are on tour to promote their second album Palomino which I reviewed recently for xsnoize. The band have been through, in recent years, divorce, bereavement and […]

ALBUM REVIEW: THE JOY FORMIDABLE – HITCH
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: THE JOY FORMIDABLE – HITCH

April 14, 2016 Sandra Blemster

The Joy Formidable the Welsh trio (now based in London) are back with their third album Hitch which they made in their Red Brick studio in Mold, North Wales. Fronted by Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan it […]

ALBUM REVIEW: WENDY JAMES - THE PRICE OF THE TICKET
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: WENDY JAMES – THE PRICE OF THE TICKET

April 1, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Does Wendy James really need any introduction? We knew her back in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the punky vixen of Transvision Vamp who had hits with I Want Your Love and Baby […]

FUTURE ELEVATORS share new track 'ALABAMA SONG' off debut album
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: FUTURE ELEVATORS – FUTURE ELEVATORS

March 29, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Future Elevators and their self-titled debut album is the invention of Birmingham, Alabama born Michael Shackleford who was raised on music. His grandfather ran a music school in Birmingham, his uncle plays guitar for the […]

STRAWBERRY STUDIOS FOREVER –THE ABBEY ROAD OF THE NORTH 1
Features

STRAWBERRY STUDIOS FOREVER –THE ABBEY ROAD OF THE NORTH

March 9, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Back in the late 1960s apart from London, there were no other professional recording facilities at the time. Strawberry Studios began its incarnation in 1967 in Stockport, Manchester when local man Peter Tattersall (who had […]

ALBUM REVIEW: TREETOP FLYERS - PALOMINO
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: TREETOP FLYERS – PALOMINO

February 26, 2016 Sandra Blemster

The Treetop Flyers burst onto the scene with their debut 2013’s the Mountain Moves to rave reviews. Taking their name from a Stephen Stills song they captivated the music press. Now in 2016 they are […]

CAGE THE ELEPHANT - announce UK & Europe shows in February 2016
Interviews

INTERVIEW: MATT SHULTZ from CAGE THE ELEPHANT

February 21, 2016 Sandra Blemster

I’m sat backstage at the 02 Ritz in Manchester whilst various roadies pass by up and down the stairs. I’m waiting to interview Matt Shultz, lead singer of Kentucky based Cage the Elephant whose fourth […]

ALBUM REVIEW: FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS - Come Find Yourself – 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS – Come Find Yourself – 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

February 19, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since we heard the dulcet tones of Dah dah dah Fun Lovin’ Criminals and the album Come Find Yourself. First released on 20th February 1996 and incorporating an […]

ALBUM REVIEW: THE JEZABELS - SYNTHIA
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: THE JEZABELS – SYNTHIA

February 6, 2016 Sandra Blemster

The Jezabels were conceived almost 10 years ago when students Hayley Mary (vocals), Samuel Lockwood (guitars), Heather Shannon (pianist/keyboardist) and drummer Nik Kaloper met at Sydney University. They took their name from the Biblical character […]

ALBUM REVIEW:  MT DOUBT - MY PAST IS A QUIET BEAST
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: MT DOUBT – MY PAST IS A QUIET BEAST

February 3, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Mt Doubt was created at the beginning of last year by Edinburgh-based Leo Bargery and his debut album My Past is a Quiet Beast produced by Mark Morrow (of The Winter Tradition) has picked up […]

ALBUM REVIEW: ELECTRIC EYE - DIFFERENT SUN
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: ELECTRIC EYE – DIFFERENT SUN

January 18, 2016 Sandra Blemster

Recorded in Broen Studio in West Norway January 2015 in the aftermath of a hurricane that ravaged Bergen on New Year’s Eve it’s not hard to see why this album has so much energy: it […]

ALBUM REVIEW: CAGE THE ELEPHANT – TELL ME I’M PRETTY
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: CAGE THE ELEPHANT – TELL ME I’M PRETTY

December 22, 2015 Sandra Blemster

Somewhere along the line I’ve missed this band. How so? I must have had my back turned. However I’m glad I’ve discovered them. Tell Me I’m Pretty is the fourth album from Kentucky based rock […]

REVIEW: LUSH: CHORUS – THE COMPLETE ALBUM COLLECTION
Album Reviews

REVIEW: LUSH: CHORUS – THE COMPLETE ALBUM COLLECTION

December 4, 2015 Sandra Blemster

It’s been almost 20 years since we’ve heard anything from the inimitable indie band Lush. Not since their split in 1998 following on from the tragic death of their drummer Chris Acland in 1996 they […]

A NORTHERN SOUL EXPERIENCE 2
Features

A NORTHERN SOUL EXPERIENCE

December 3, 2015 Sandra Blemster

Tucked away in a venue in Manchester you will find me and approximately 40 plus people feverishly following a 30-something year old guy in very wide trousers around the room. Sounds like an episode of […]

CLASSIC ALBUM REVISITED: MORRISON HOTEL – THE DOORS
Album Reviews

CLASSIC ALBUM REVISITED: MORRISON HOTEL – THE DOORS

November 22, 2015 Sandra Blemster

Some might argue that the Doors Morrison Hotel album was not their best as no hit singles came from it. But for me, I think it will always be my favourite as it spawned the likes of […]

.....What Became Of The People We Used To Be? 5
Features

…..What Became Of The People We Used To Be?

November 6, 2015 Sandra Blemster

…..What Became Of what We Used To Be Did anyone out there party in Manchester back in the day when it was Madchester? Did you “Sit Down” with James or “bang the drums” with the […]

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