Search - Apocalypse Hoboken :: Microstars

Microstars Save the Day

George Jacobs | Chicago, IL United States | 03/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apocalypse Hoboken is a band I was gradually introduced to a few years back. Sadly, I didn't fully realize how amazing they were until after they disbanded and the final show had passed. Luckily, they reformed this past Novemeber at the Metro in Chicago for one final show, which I was able to attend. Probably the best show of my life. They played a bit more off of Microstars than I expected, as this release seems to be something of a black sheep for them amongst many people.Microstars is just such a breath of fresh air in nearly every respect. I'm a huge AH fan and while this LP definitely goes for a different style, it is in no way a let down or disappointment. In fact, I think it acts to the contrary. Microstars showed more pure talent and layering than all of their other releases, in my opinion. That's saying quite a lot, I think, because if you really listen to AH you can see how damn good they are on their older material as well.The opening track may be familiar to people in Chicago, even if they don't know of AH. It was played on Q101 several times as it was part of one of their local compilation CDs. Some other songs off of this disc were also played live on the station. That track is Little Fingers and it's definitely the most catchy of the lot. If anything, it proves how accessible this CD can be while still staying true to AH's roots and general subject matter in the past. It's not a massive departure and kind of reminds me of Monchichi off of House of the Rising.The next three songs are just as fast and intense as most anything you'd come to expect from AH. The main difference seems to be how well layered and melodic it is. Make Them Die Slowly follows these and shows a more melancholic side of the band. This isn't the only slower song on the CD and while not entirely expected, it definitely fits with the rest of the album and is very well played.This also contains what is possibly one of the best Prince covers I've ever heard: Darling Nikki. While it perhaps doesn't have the strange sexuality that Prince exhibits in his version, I feel it's superior in nearly every way... and I'm trying to be objective as I love Prince heh.This is definitely something to check out, regardless of whether or not you love AH's previous material. If you have a mindset that AH should never evolve or that the old stuff is always best, this might not be for you -- but you never know. It's a shame they had to break up, but at least they went out on a high note."

What every kid should want for Christmas

Ronin | Berwyn (shut up) IL | 06/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apocolypse Hoboken has long been a pillar of the chicago punk rock community, and with their latest release, microstars, they once again prove that innovation and a raw edge is possible in a punk rock industry that has become as muddled as the once God like Alternative music scene. The albums is seen as a departure from AH's traditional style, (as seen in albums like Inverse, Perverse, Reverse, and superincredibleheaveydutydudes) but what comes out of the new style is an album that is catchy, angry, moody, and at times a bit melancholy, as is seen with the track "make them die slowly". The alubum begins with the incredibly catchy "Little Fingers" a song that is part punk rock part baptist revival gone horribly wrong. It continues on spitting out great tracks like the angry anthem "Summer Assault". Then plundges into a lyrical puzzle in tracks like "Microstars". AH did redifne their sound here its true, but for anyone who has listend to them, listens to punk, or just good music this is a perfect album. After all Todd sings Princes "Darling Nicky" like it was truley meant to be sung."