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  • INTERVIEW: M the Myth on ‘Pin-Up Boy,’ Social Media Insights & 2025 Plans
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  • INHALER announce new album ‘Open Wide’ & biggest ever UK tour
  • BBC2 to Celebrate The Cure’s New Album ‘Songs of a Lost World’ with a Special Evening of Programming
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XS Noize | Independent Music News
  • News
        • Kaiser Chiefs
          Gigs

          Kaiser Chiefs announce 2025 UK outdoor shows to celebrate 20 years of ‘Employment’

          November 1, 2024

          After announcing a massive hometown show at Leeds’ Temple Newsam Park for May 2025, to celebrate 20 years of their iconic debut album Employment, Yorkshire indie icons Kaiser Chiefs announce further 20th anniversary celebration shows […]

          INHALER 
          News

          INHALER announce new album ‘Open Wide’ & biggest ever UK tour

          November 1, 2024

          INHALER has today announced details of their new album alongside their biggest-ever UK tour and a string of dates in Europe and Asia. The Dublin four-piece will release their third album, ‘Open Wide,’ on February 7th via Polydor […]

          IN FOCUS// The Cure at The SSE Arena Belfast
          News

          BBC2 to Celebrate The Cure’s New Album ‘Songs of a Lost World’ with a Special Evening of Programming

          November 1, 2024

          THE CURE’s long-awaited, critically acclaimed new album, SONGS OF A LOST WORLD, their first new release in 16 years, is out now. The band will be performing their only scheduled show of the year tonight […]

  • Reviews
        • Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

          October 25, 2024

          After a sixteen-year wait, Songs of a Lost World, The Cure’s highly anticipated fourteenth studio album, has finally arrived. Rumours about the release date began circulating as far back as 2018, a testament to frontman […]

          Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness

          October 24, 2024

          Honest – perhaps the best way to define this Melbourne four-piece, which grew from the city’s pub-rock scene. There’s no flannel, no pretences, just good old-fashioned, down-to-earth music and attitude. In this overly antiseptic world, […]

        • 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: Dhani Harrison at EartH, London
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Dhani Harrison at EartH, London

          October 24, 2024

          Anticipation was high when Dhani Harrison released his debut album IN///PARALLEL in 2017. Prior to that, he had already established himself as a thoughtful and accomplished musician through his work with bands like The New […]

          Crowded House
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Crowded House at O2 Arena, London

          October 12, 2024

          Crowded House has been remarkably prolific in recent years, with a quarter of their albums released in the 2020s—a striking feat for a band that first formed in 1985. This makes sense, given the band’s […]

        • 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// The Waeve at Village Underground, London Credit: Denise Esposito
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// The Waeve at Village Underground, London

          November 1, 2024

          On October 29, 2024, The Waeve (Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall) performed a sold-out show at London’s Village Underground. This concert marked their largest headline performance to date, celebrating the release of their second […]

          IN FOCUS// Lacuna Coil at Rock City, Nottingham Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Lacuna Coil at Rock City, Nottingham

          October 31, 2024

          Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil delivered an electrifying performance at Rock City in Nottingham just days before Halloween, setting the perfect tone for the spooky season. The band’s dynamic vocal duo—Cristina Scabbia and Andrea […]

  • Gigs
        • Kaiser Chiefs
          Gigs

          Kaiser Chiefs announce 2025 UK outdoor shows to celebrate 20 years of ‘Employment’

          November 1, 2024

          After announcing a massive hometown show at Leeds’ Temple Newsam Park for May 2025, to celebrate 20 years of their iconic debut album Employment, Yorkshire indie icons Kaiser Chiefs announce further 20th anniversary celebration shows […]

          The Horrors
          Gigs

          To mark Halloween, The Horrors release new track ‘Trial By Fire’

          October 31, 2024

          To mark Halloween, The Horrors today release ‘Trial By Fire’, the second track to be taken from their recently announced sixth studio album ‘Night Life’, out March 21st via Fiction Records. The band will play […]

          Scissor Sisters
          Gigs

          Scissor Sisters Return To Celebrate The 20th Anniversary Of Their No.1 Album ‘Scissor Sisters’

          October 31, 2024

          The long-awaited reunion that fans have been clamouring for is here: Scissor Sisters are back and readying their first live shows in over 12 years. 2024 marks the 20-year anniversary of the band’s debut album […]

  • Interviews
        • M the Myth
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: M the Myth on ‘Pin-Up Boy,’ Social Media Insights & 2025 Plans

          November 1, 2024

          M the Myth is someone not afraid to break boundaries. An artist who identifies as trans-non-binary, both they and their music represent what it means to be unashamedly yourself. Myth’s music serves as a mouthpiece […]

          KiKi Holli
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: KiKi Holli Discusses Her New Single ‘WIN U OVER’

          October 21, 2024

          Los Angeles-based, multi-faceted pop singer-songwriter KiKi Holli recently released her new single, “WIN U OVER,” a contagious Nu Disco track produced by Grammy-nominated Ethan Allen. “WIN U OVER” follows on the heels of Holli’s dance […]

          Hana Giraldo
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Hana Giraldo Talks ‘Reputation’, Artistic Influences & Social Media

          September 20, 2024

          They say talent often runs in the family, for Hana Giraldo, that has undoubtedly proven to be true. As the daughter of iconic musicians Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Hana has carved her path in […]

  • Podcast
        • Into the Depths: Sister Ghost Discusses the Creation of 'Beyond the Water'
          Podcasts

          Into the Depths: Sister Ghost Discusses the Creation of ‘Beyond the Water’

          October 30, 2024

          In Episode #198 of The XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar interviews Irish artist Sister Ghost about her long-awaited debut album, Beyond The Water. Recorded in Los Angeles in the summer of 2022 with producer […]

          Wendy James
          Podcasts

          Shaping the Past and Future: Wendy James on Her New Album ‘The Shape of History’

          October 23, 2024

          In Episode #197 of The XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar interviews Wendy James about her new album, The Shape Of History. English singer-songwriter Wendy James burst onto the British music scene in 1988 as […]

          Unveiling Ecce Homo: Gavin Friday on Music, Art, and Self-Expression
          Podcasts

          Gavin Friday Unveils the Creative Journey Behind His New Album ‘Ecce Homo’

          October 16, 2024

          In Episode #196 of The XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar interviews Irish renaissance man Gavin Friday about his highly anticipated new solo album Ecce Homo out 25th October. The new album – produced by […]

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  • Gareth

Articles by Gareth O'Malley

Avatar for Gareth O
Gareth O'Malley
Gareth a writer from the west of Ireland. He got his start in music journalism in 2009 and hasn't looked back since. Music is one of Gareth's main passions in life. Gareth's main contribution to XS NOIZE is album reviews, and will also write the odd live review or feature piece here and there. Fav Bands: The National, Anathema, Frightened Rabbit Fav Album: The National - Boxer
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ALBUM REVIEW: Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams

January 28, 2021 Gareth O'Malley

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Arlo Parks has seen her career take off at speed – since making her bow with the Super Sad Generation EP in April of 2019, the London-based […]

TRACK PREMIERE: Waves of Dread - Stars (beach cut)
Exclusive!

TRACK PREMIERE: Waves of Dread – Stars (beach cut)

November 19, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Newcastle trio Waves of Dread have certainly been busy. The band haven’t allowed themselves to be knocked back by pandemic-related uncertainty in the slightest, releasing their aptly-named second EP II back in July, with more […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Paddy Hanna - The Hill
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Paddy Hanna – The Hill

October 16, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

You didn’t expect someone who called his last record Frankly, I Mutate to stay in one place for long, did you? Once the leader of the sorely missed Grand Pocket Orchestra and a key part […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Touché Amoré - Lament
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Touché Amoré – Lament

October 6, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Last time out, Touché Amoré offered up an unflinching document of loss, with 2016’s Stage Four recounting Jeremy Bolm losing his mother to cancer in excruciating detail. It was, to say the least, a tough listen, […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Deftones - Ohms
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Deftones – Ohms

September 21, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

In some aspects, Ohms finds Deftones going back to their roots. Perhaps not musically – there’s as much of Adrenaline and Around the Fur’s DNA present here as there is anything else, in that the […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Dream Nails - Dream Nails
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Dream Nails – Dream Nails

August 26, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

You may have heard Dream Nails before, but you haven’t heard them like this. Formed in 2015, the London band quickly made waves thanks to their quick-witted, razor-edged punk rock, but their self-titled debut album […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Marsicans - Ursa Major
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Marsicans – Ursa Major

August 17, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

For how long they’ve been around, it’s certainly surprising that Leeds quartet Marsicans are just now getting around to releasing their debut album. They’ve been on the go for close to a decade already, with […]

ALBUM REVIEW: sleepmakeswaves - these are not your dreams
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: sleepmakeswaves – these are not your dreams

July 16, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

There’s something to be said for ambition in the world of instrumental music. sleepmakeswaves know a thing or two about that – the Australian post-rock act have spent much of the past 14 years carving […]

ALBUM REVIEW: bdrmm - Bedroom
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: bdrmm – Bedroom

July 7, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

It would be easy to assume that this Hull-based band arrived fully-formed, but their career has in fact been a slow burn that started in 2016 with a demo that singer and guitarist Ryan Smith […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Long Distance Calling - How Do We Want to Live?
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Long Distance Calling – How Do We Want to Live?

June 29, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

In their 14 years together, Germans Long Distance Calling have never been ones to stand still. Since forming in 2006, the quartet – namely, David Jordan and Florian Füntman on guitar; Jan Hoffman on bass; […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Braids - Shadow Offering
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Braids – Shadow Offering

June 19, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

In the years since their third album Deep in the Iris, the output from Montreal trio Braids (namely, Raphaelle Standell-Preston, Austin Tufts & Taylor Smith) has been sporadic – they’ve released a double-sided single and […]

TRACK PREMIERE: Blake’s Fortune - Redwood Heart
Exclusive!

TRACK PREMIERE: Blake’s Fortune – Redwood Heart

April 29, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Dubliner John Lennon has been making accomplished alt-folk as Blake’s Fortune for a number of years, and he’s got a follow-up to his aptly named 2017 debut album Hello World on the way. New track […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Columbia Mills - CCTV
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Columbia Mills – CCTV

April 23, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Columbia Mills have always been drawn to the dark. From their early singles right up to 2018’s ‘Close to You’, the Dublin-based quintet – namely, brothers Fiachra and Uisneagh Treacy (vocals and bass, respectively), Stephen […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Rina Sawayama – SAWAYAMA

April 16, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Reckoning with the past is never easy and can sometimes be excruciating – Rina Sawayama knows that as well as anyone, and her debut album explores life through lived experience and harsh truths. She’s lived […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Locate S,1 - Personalia
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Locate S,1 – Personalia

April 3, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

In the fast-moving world of music creation, appreciation and consumption, sometimes you just have to put yourself first. Just ask Christina Schneider; the Athens, Georgia-based artist has been involved in a number of different musical […]

ALBUM REVIEW: CMON - Confusing Mix Of Nations
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: CMON – Confusing Mix Of Nations

April 2, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

This might be CMON’s first album, but it’s far from their first rodeo; the band’s made up of Josh da Costa and Jamen Whitelock, both of whom were part of New Yorkers Regal Degal – […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Orchards - Lovecore
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Orchards – Lovecore

March 12, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

It’s been almost 7 years since Brighton band Orchards planted the seeds for what would eventually grow into their debut album. It took them a little bit to establish themselves, too, but there’s a clear […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Snarls - Burst
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Snarls – Burst

March 6, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Have you ever stopped and thought about the fundamentals of being alive? You’re a single person, trying to make your way in the world just like everyone else – a place that feels increasingly fragmented […]

ALBUM REVIEW: ROCH - Via Media
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: ROCH – Via Media

March 5, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

Kate Miller has always known what she’s about. The process of creating her opening statement as an artist may have taken a while, but it’s something the 24-year-old Londoner has been focused on for years. […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Post Animal - Forward Motion Godyssey
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Post Animal – Forward Motion Godyssey

February 14, 2020 Gareth O'Malley

On their 2018 debut album When I Think Of You In A Castle, Chicago-based outfit Post Animal displayed the sort of appealing scrappiness that marked them out as a band to keep an eye on, […]

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