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
The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard These unique, black and white line-drawn illustrations from Abby Howard’s The Crossroads at Midnight match-up with the grotesque short stories told alongside them. These stories, I imagine, could only be compared to that of a nightmare, because they’re bizarre yet lifelike. Some of the drawings were so detailed that I found myself getting lost in them. Through depths of trees and oddly angled points-of-view these drawings help deepen the stories.
They’re easy-to-read, fun to re-read, and pretty amazing to look at. One story that really sticks with me is one about a used mattress that gives the new owner a disastrous skin disease. It’s haunting to think about, and to see it drawn out so vividly, I wouldn’t wish a crazy incident like that on my worst enemy. Pretty out-of-this-world, like the other stories in here also, with modern characters and themes. I read this around Halloween, and it definitely satisfied my need for a quick thriller. If you’re still in the mood for a scare, then I think this is a must read.
The Riddler: Year One by Paul Dano and Stevan SUBIC While stuck in the middle of HBO’s new show The Penguin about the legendary Batman villain, and having just finished the recently released Batman movie –I also found myself reading, analyzing, and absolutely awestruck by the illustrations in The Riddler: Year One comic. I simply can’t believe the intense darkness that this was able to display. I read it on my computer through Overdrive, and ended up mirroring it onto my TV screen for others to read along, and we just gasped at the marvelous drawings –that’s just how great it is. It’s turning out to be my favorite read of the year so far.
It’s seemingly rare that we get so much details and information about the inner workings of the mind of the nefarious found taunting Gotham. I never in my life thought I could understand or even sympathize with an outlaw to the degree of Riddler, but this actually made me feel bad for him. The Riddler, real name Edward, works as a very intelligent accountant that is used to being used by his coworkers for his smarts and never gets the credit, and tells us about his sad life as an orphan.
As a young orphan, we learn that Edward meets Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s (Batman’s) dad when doing a routine political press tour visit to the orphanage. Young Edward often found himself jealous toward a young Bruce Wayne at the time, for having an amazing rich life and family. Yet, depressed young Edward begins to see hope for himself after Thomas promises a bright future for him. At the same time, we see older Edward idolizing Batman for his bravery and rebellion in the city. From childhood to now, we see why and how Edward becomes Riddler, inevitably using Batman like he has been.
The way this story wraps up with surprises at every corner made it really fun to learn the deep history of this franchise. I finally understood all the star struck fans of the movie once I heard the lines pulled from this comic. If they make a Riddler show or movie like rumors have been circulating–I’m watching it!
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack Continuing the spooky streak –lovers of the classic Archie comics’ Sabrina the Teenage Witch or the tv show from the 90’s –maybe even the modern Netflix one –will love this new, dark version of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Archie comics used their illusive drawn storytelling to make this comic truly chilling! I love the witchy-background like where some spells come from, what they do to banned witches, and of course, what really happened to Sabrina’s parents and her childhood.
The dark shading on the drawings escalate an eerie feeling that’s intensified from the storyline. It’s actually refreshing to see, since the older comics and shows were so cutesy and family friendly, this runs along the line of proper spookiness with important family lessons still. We learn about her witch and warlock filled family in between each drastic and scary adventure. Each scenario brings us deeper into the world of witchery, ghosts, and monsters along with all of their sins and betrayals. This is a shocking yet fun experience to read and see!
BONUS CLASSIC Snoopy the Fearless Leader by Charles M. Schulz Everyone must love Snoopy, even a little bit, right? If you’re not interested in dark comics or graphic novels, why not start with the funny basics of the Peanuts very beloved Snoopy? These comics are gathered together and focus around a central theme instead of a full story. Most of these comics include Snoopy, Woodstock and other popular Peanuts characters, and in this series, they focus on wilderness or outdoors. They’re so fun and lighthearted, I think everyone should give them a try at any age.
Written by: Samantha Meyers Information and Digital Services Library Assistant
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 