Reviews

Manchester’s noir indie-rock outfit The Slow Readers Club returns with their seventh studio album, Out Of A Dream. It is a journey through a modern, digital landscape reminiscent of Dante’s Inferno, though this time, the […]

There’s nothing quite like a Snow Patrol homecoming gig, and last night at Belfast’s SSE Arena, the band proved exactly why they remain one of Northern Ireland’s most cherished musical exports. With an electric atmosphere […]

Have you ever wondered how artists pick their support acts? Frank Turner’s choice of Ben Brown comes with a hilarious backstory. Picture the scene: Turner is at a barbecue, drinks are flowing, and the vibe […]

Doves have been crafting anthems for the disenchanted for over 25 years, but their story stretches back even further—to the neon-soaked, sweat-drenched floors of Manchester’s legendary Haçienda. Before they became indie royalty, they were Sub […]

British progressive metal band Tesseract closed the UK leg of their tour spectacularly at the Project House in Leeds on February 15th before heading to the US in May. From the moment they stepped on […]

Mandrake Handshake is a dynamic, shape-shifting collective from Oxford. Its members range from seven to ten. Their lineup includes Row Janjuah (lead guitar/vocals), Trinity Oksana (lead vocals), Elvis Thirlwell (percussion), Joe Bourdier (drums), Rudy Mae […]

The February chill did little to deter eager fans from queuing outside Hackney’s Moth Club to witness Cat Burns kick off BRITs Week 25 in aid of War Child. Their patience in the freezing cold […]

The fifteenth studio album from Manic Street Preachers, Critical Thinking, finds the legendary Welsh band laying a positive soundscape while introspectively questioning life through the lyrics. The band have tapped into their influences, ranging from […]

One of the most successful nu-metal bands of all time, Papa Roach, stormed into the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, on February 8th for a magnificent sold-out show. With an unwavering career spanning decades, the band—led by […]

Irish alternative indie band Inhaler once again challenges the status quo with their third studio album, Open Wide. This album is a follow-up to 2023’s Cuts and Bruises, which successfully ducked the second album curse that plagues […]

Camille Schmidt’s debut album, Nude #9, takes its name from her childhood memories of watching models pose nude for her parents’ paintings—portraits of raw vulnerability given detached, neutral titles. The irony of those titles is […]

The first quarter of 2025 is set to be a landmark period for The Kooks. With their seventh album, Never/Know, arriving on May 9th and a packed tour schedule spanning 20 Australian dates followed by […]

The criminally underrated and recently reformed 3 Inches of Blood played their first California show at The Fonda Theatre in a decade. For those who fell under the spell of their 2004 album Advance and […]

2025 marks fifteen years since sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell formed Larkin Poe following the dissolution of the Lovell Sisters, their previous band with elder sister Jessica. Over the years, the duo’s electrifying blend of […]

In Greek mythology, asphodels are flowers associated with the underworld, mourning, and the afterlife—an evocative symbol for Asphodels, the latest album from The Veils. Recorded live to tape over five days at Roundhead Studios in […]

Matt Berry has released albums since 1995, though there was a thirteen-year gap between the first two albums. A 30-year recording career is no mean feat, especially in modern times where fashions and trends feed […]

First, we brought you an in-depth review of their 10th studio album, L.A. Times, courtesy of yours truly. Next, the XS Noize Podcast host Mark Millar recorded a superb podcast with bassist Dougie Payne. Finally, […]

The National is often described as a band “you must see live.” Those who have not been fortunate enough to see them in the past can now experience the band’s performances through new enthralling live […]