Apocalypse Pow! - Smash The Superstition!

On Smash the Superstition!, Apocalypse Pow! showcase an intelligent blend of quirky alternative rock and new wave. The 4-piece, apparently hailing from Richmond, Virginia, have a penchant for catchy hooks and short and to the point energetic deliveries. Comprised of 5 tracks clocking in at under 14 minutes, the EP is a bit on the short side but somewhat inventive and fairly solid.

Things kick off with the organ accented, energetic distorted guitar rock of "I am Your Density", with quirky semi-shouted/spoken male vocals occasionally interspersed with female vocal outbursts for a track that's somewhat reminiscent of vintage material by The B-52s. "It Makes Me Sexy When You Say That" enters Elastica territory (albeit with male vocals) with punchy bass, great new wave synths, and catchy pop hooks. "Diamonds of War", after starting out with a short sample recorded from a lecture at Princeton, becomes a more up-tempo bass-driven number accented by more new wave synths and centered on a great chorus. The next track, bearing the band's namesake, manages to squeeze plenty of energy and shouted vocals into a mere minute and 19 seconds, while the disc's title track blends catchy analog synth hooks, more B-52s-esque and shouted vocal work, and plenty of energy into a great alt rock number.

Perhaps best appreciated by fans of fashionable, quirky 90s alt rock/new wave hybrids, Smash the Superstition! is a fine effort lacking only in length (And we all know size doesn't matter...or so I've been told. Yes, that's right, I went there.). If you're into smart and sassy upbeat alt rock, this brief foray into Apocalypse Pow's punchy musical equation is likely to satisfy.