Louder Than War

The Stranglers Manchester Apollo Oct 18th 2025 Live Review     Something Better Change! 51 years in and the Stranglers are still moving like a ninja. Louder Than War were there dressed in black.    More than half a century in and The Stranglers still have an ability to surprise. At this stage of the game, the band are very much the curators of their own idiosyncratic museum dusting down the exhibits and reframing their own hallowed discography.…

The Lemonheads: Love Chant (Fire) Vinyl | CD | DL available at Sister Ray Out now “Never forever is a long time”, winks Evan Dando on The Lemonheads’ first collection of originals for nearly twenty years. It’s worth the wait – Sam Lambeth reviews a restless, adventurous album full of Dando’s loose, untamed charm. The Lemonheads’ frontman Evan Dando is certainly the kind of chap who could lose twenty years behind the back of the sofa. It’s been…

pyncher: Every Town Needs A Stranger EP                 Cracked Ankles Records Download out nowVinyl available 24 October Soon to be Mancunian royalty collect up their recent musical past and draw a line in the sand for future reference. Currently touring both with the mighty The Wytches and out on their own, this is simply the release that proves their brilliance, notes MK Bennett A journey through the deep south of both America and…

SKAAR: Medicine                               Self-Released Via The Orchard Nordics Stream/Listen Out Now Three minutes of Norwegian excellence and a recent winner of her home country’s Grammys, this new single is a pop anthem of rare old school brilliance. MK Bennett gets on board. Pop currently finds itself in a bit of a pickle because pop is second guessing itself. Blame Taylor Swift, or more accurately,…

The Divine ComedyWolverhampton Civic HallFriday 17th October 2025 Pop music’s resident wit and erstwhile fop provides Wolverhampton with something for the weekend. Sam Lambeth reviews. At the Civic Hall’s smaller sister venue, the Wulfrun, the punky energy of Nova Twins is spilling out onto the streets of Wolverhampton. In the Civic itself, it’s a much more genteel affair. Seats are laid out in the stalls, where people would usually be moshing and letting their limbs fly. Couples laugh…

album review Erotic Secrets of Pompeii Pitchfork Libra Vinyl / DL Released: 2 October 2025 (5/5)   Second album from the band that LTW have been calling Future Megastars, for a couple years now.  Are they ‘Prog Rock’? Are they the most pretentious or the most brilliantly imaginative band around? Punk evangelic relic Ged Babey should loathe them if he had principles to stick to, but insists they are ‘The Best Band on the Planet?  Yeah, but which…

Charley Stone: I’ve Gotta Know (Self Released) DL/Streaming Out Now Charley Stone returns with the first of three new singles, I’ve Gotta Know, recorded with the Actual Band…  There are few people where it’s obligatory to introduce them as ‘The Legendary’… but Charley Stone is one of them. If you’ve not heard the name, shame on you, but you will have heard her music or seen her on stage. Ms Stone has performed and recorded with dozens of…

Caswell: Break/Bleed/Bloom (Independent) Out Now   Rising Suffolk alternative-pop artist Caswell unveils her long-awaited debut album Break/Bleed/Bloom, a collection of tracks that showcases the solo artist’s abilities to bring together inventive ambient electronic musicality and compelling, heartfelt songwriting. An artist who has long been highly regarded on her local scene and beyond, the record has been a long time coming and truly delivers on Caswell’s radiant potential. Having already built an impressive reputation through her magnetic live performances and…

Bratakus announce 2026 tour dates After their second single for Venn Records last month (video below), Scots punk duo Bratakus have announced a five date tour in February 2026. We’ve backed the abrasive (in a good way) sisters from their early days so it’s great to hear they are moving from strength to strength, meaning more folks get to hear their no-holds-barred feminist vegan message. Paris Supersonic – 18/02London The Grace – 19/02Bristol Exchange – 20/02Manchester Star &…

A Plea From Louder Than War Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team, and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly. Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write, or hungry shareholders. We know times are tough, and we want to continue bringing you news on the…