Archive | December, 2024

Create Your New Year’s Eve Playlist with Freegal

31 Dec

What music do you like Jazz, K-Pop, Country? You are sure to find old and new favorites with Freegal, the streaming service that our Hoboken patrons can stream 3 hours per day and download 5 songs per week. You can create your own playlists or stream lists created by Freegal such as Pop Party Down that would be perfect for your New Year’s Celebration.

I mostly listen to goth, industrial and adjacent genres; here are a five acts I enjoy if you are looking for something new and different to try for 2025!

Glass Apple Bonzai
Canadian Synthpop act Glass Apple Bonzai aka GAB has a fun retro electronic look and sound that I have enjoyed several times live. You can stream several of their albums on Freegal. Frontman Daniel Belasco provides a lot of energy. If you miss the 80’s then check them out.

Switchblade Symphony
When I was in college Switchblade Symphony was one of my favorite bands. Goth with a hint of grungy industrial. Tina Root sang dark fairy tales that captured my heart. You can hear them Live in Los Angeles from Freegal.

Rabbit Junk
Rabbit Junk is a metal industrial band that makes me think of a more intense Mindless Self Indulgence. Another great live act. Their music always leaves me feeling energized.

Current 93
My graduate school roommate introduced me to Current 93 and other apocalyptic folk, now more commonly referred to as neofolk. I like the discordance of neofolk, the feeling of smashing apart melodies with its blend of industrial and folk music. My husband thinks it is as enjoyable as a horns honking during a traffic jam; you be the judge!

Mechanical Moth
German ebm (electro-body-music) act Mechanical Moth has some real bangers. I especially like songs where they have female singer Ivy on vocals. Their album Mirrors actually features two versions of every song one with electro/male vocals and the other with darkwave/female vocals.

What are some of your favorite Bands to stream on Freegal? If you enjoy jazz and/or classical you should also checkout Medici.com available to stream with your Hoboken Library Card.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

Tags: , , , ,

British Christmas Reads: The Eight Reindeers of the Apocalypse and The Christmas Swap

25 Dec

We have a lot of holidays going on right now and I hope which ever one(s) you celebrate are filled with happiness and joy. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Blessed Yule! Happy Kwanzaa!

Often because of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol I often picture the archetypal Christmas as one set in the UK. Here are two very different holiday related reads set there that I enjoyed this year in case you are looking for something festive. Hope you join us in the New Year for more reviews from our library staff. Happy New Year to all!

The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse
by Tom Holt
We read The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse for our December Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion. Though Santa is an important character in the story he takes more a guest staring than leading man role; this is a good pick for those looking for something timely, but a little less saccharine than a lot of holiday entertainment. The novel is part of Tom Holt’s J.W. Wells & Co. Series, the first of which The Portable Door was recently adapted as a movie. The firm (and the series) is named for the character from Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta The Sorcerer. Imagine the British version of the TV show the Office merged with Terry Pratchett’s Disc World and you get the concept for this funny fantasy satire series which has office harassment taking the form of coworkers transforming into tea cups and interns literally left to save the world while their clueless bosses make a hilarious mess of things attempting to climb further up the corporate ladder. Check this one out to mix some ha ha ha’s with your ho ho ho’s!

The Christmas Swap
by Talia Samuels
The Christmas Swap is also set in the UK and written by another British author, Talia Samuels. This is more of a warm, fuzzy, feel good holiday read. Margot Murray is still healing from a recent breakup from her girlfriend when a work friend, unlucky in love Ben, offers her the perfect holiday getaway at his family manor house, all she has to do is pretend to be his girlfriend. However, when they arrive at the manor, Ben’s sister is immediately suspicious thinking Margot is a gold-digger and sets out to prove her hidden motivations. The twist is that of course Margot feels instantly attracted to Ellie. This is former chef Samuels’ first romance, but it was a treat so I hope we will see more from her in the future. The audio book is added fun since the two characters, Margot and Ellie, each get there own narrators: Kim Bretton and Emma Fenney and both give vibrant performances and interestingly juxtapose what each of the characters is outwardly saying, but internally keeping secret. Kim Bretton is an Audie Award nominee, a Broadway World Award winner, and was voted Best Actress in Nashville by the Nashville Scene. Emma Fenney trained as an actor at Drama Studio London, following a degree in Drama & Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths College, University of London. If you love a posh British accent then these two will delight.

You can learn about some staff favorite holiday classics in this past post. Looking for some quirky holiday music-checkout this past post!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries