Across:
1 Earl is (earl is = ISRAEL) out (= anagram indicator) in the Middle East (ISRAEL),
4 Spreads bits about (SCATTERS) regulating (= anagram indicator) stars, etc. (stars etc = SCATTERS),
9 Holes (SHAFTS) for the golf clubs (golf clubs/sticks / SHAFTS),
10 Stop-start (‘stop’ start = S-) review of (= reversal indicator) my (my = -YM-) copy (phoney) lacks energy (e) (‘phoney’ without ‘e’ = -PHONY) (SYMPHONY) in The Musical Composition (SYMPHONY),
12 Is irrepressible (RESILIENT) playing (= anagram indicator) Leinster (Leinster = RESIL-ENT) holding onto lead at interval (lead at ‘interval’ = -I-) (RESILIENT),
13 Encourage (EGG ON) suits to leave suggestion (‘suits’ to leave ‘suggestion’ = ggeon = EGG ON),
14 A loud type doing security for The Doors (BURGLAR ALARM) is primed to put gatecrashers off (BURGLAR ALARM),
18 Colourful sort (NAVY) following (= positional indicator) trader (MERCHANT) (MERCHANT NAVY) found in 21 across, for one (MERCHANT NAVY found in “ocean’),
21 Canoe (canoe = OCEAN) out of place (= anagram indicator) in large body of water (OCEAN),
22 Wild (= anagram indicator) gorilla (gorilla = ALLIG-OR) grabs a (-A-) serpent’s tail (tail of serpent = -T-) (ALLIGATOR) hiding in swampland (ALLIGATOR),
24 Two pubs (bar + bar = BARBAR-) for one (-I-) starting college (starting ‘college’ = -C) (BARBARIC) – it’s savage! (BARBARIC),
25 Reset (reset = STERE-) switch (= anagram indicator) for old (-O) (STEREO) music system (STEREO),
26 For most of (k) week (‘week’ without ‘k’ = -WEE-), man the bar (tend) briefly (d) (‘tend’ briefly = -TEN-) in ship (S-S) (SWEETENS) – it soothes things over (SWEETENS),
27 Buddy (P-AL-) welcomes second (-S-) manuscript (-MS-) (PSALMS) of poems from good books (PSALMS).
Down:
1 Popular (IN-) writer (-SCRIBE) (INSCRIBE) of score (score/etch = INSCRIBE),
2 Calm (REASSURE) users are (users are = REASSURE) all at sea (= anagram indicator),
3 Sing the praises of (EXTOL) tenor (-T-) in representing (= anagram indicator) Leo X (Leo X = EX-OL) (EXTOL),
5 Transparent substance (CRYSTAL) found in the pool room (BALLS found pool/snooker room) (CRYSTAL BALLS) used by those in the futures business (CRYSTAL BALLS),
6 What’s highly classified? (TOP SECRET) God knows! (TOP SECRET),
7 No huge (no huge = ENOUGH) problem (= anagram indicator) as there’s all you need (ENOUGH),
8 Looking for what’s in 6 down (looking for what’s ‘top secret’ = SPYING) by watching the neighbours (SPYING),
11 It never goes up (DEPRECIATION) in financial crash (DEPRECIATION),
15 Lounge (LIE) has fashionable (IN) job for those talking orders (WAIT tables) (LIE IN WAIT) – it will require one to be patient before onslaught begins (LIE IN WAIT),
16 New (= anagram indicator) patrols (patrols = PASTOR-L) around American border (‘American’ border = -A-) (PASTORAL) in rural area (PASTORAL),
17 Cunning, youthful protester starts (‘cunning, youthful protester’ starts = CYP-) disturbances (-RIOTS) (CYPRIOTS) with Mediterranean islanders (CYPRIOTS),
19 Dubs to (Dubs to = DOUBTS) play (= anagram indicator) with reservations (DOUBTS),
20 Piece of countryside greenbelt (piece of ‘countryside greenbelt’ = DEGREE) comes with a qualification (DEGREE),
23 Genealogists dismissing sloe gin (‘genealogists’ dismissing ‘sloe gin’ = eagts = GATES) in the airport (GATES).