The Hives: The Black and White Album
The Hives: Back to the drawing board with The Black and White Album
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Monday, 15, Oct 2007 04:29
Polydor, out October 15th 2007.
In a nutshell.
High-energy, riff-tastic fun
What's it all about?
Swedish five-piece the Hives return after the underwhelming Tyrannosaurus Hives with a record that takes something of a giant leap forward for the band. The catchy guitar riffs are as ever matched by some tight rhythm section work and Howlin Pelle Almqvist's Iggy/Casablancas growls and yelps, but there's a much broader musical canvas being painted on here.
Who's it by?
Your old new favourite band, the Hives, had been going for a while before they burst on to the scene in England with a compilation CD that revived the fortunes of Alan McGee's flagging Poptones label, albeit temporarily. Howlin Pelle is joined by guitarists Vigilante Carlstroem and songwriter Nicholaus Arson - AKA mythical sixth member Randy Fitzsimmons - together with Dr Matt Destruction and Chris Dangerous on bass and drums.
They impressed with the Your New Favourite Band compilation in 2001 which took tracks from their earlier homeland releases, while their 2004 effort seemed to cover much the same ground without taking anything a single step further.
As an example.
"Yeah I've done it before/And I can do it some more/So what you waiting for?/Yeah!/I was right all along!" - Tick Tick Boom
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
A definite return to form from the Hives could see them being a surprise fixture near the top of the end-of-year lists at the NME or Q, though anything exceeding the lower reaches of the top ten would admittedly still be something of a surprise.
What the others say
"It's enjoyable, fast-paced and delivered with an undeniable amount of skill. But it isn't memorable enough, and certainly won't be a record you listen to three weeks later. Your new favourite band? Only if you've got a severe lack of imagination." - Tim Lee at OHM
"Hives' "major-label adventure" doesn't lose sight of the sheer fun that comes from you and your four friends being in a little room, flicking on the amps and cranking up the volume. Somehow, the original new favourite band found a way to become your favourite band - full stop." - Louis Pattison at NME.com
So is it any good?
I'm happy and surprised to say that, yes, it is. Having been wowed by the band at the turn of the century with their riff-heavy brand of dumb rock and fun self-aggrandising festival performances, a short absence soon left the band out of sight and out of mind. On their return three years ago, they seemed to have spent that time doing very little at all to grow, happy to consolidate their sound and position. But all that changes with The Black and White Album.
There's still the riffs, dumb lyrics and Pelle's howl, but their net of influences is being cast further than the obvious Strokes and Stooges template. That sound is still heard here on Hey Little World and others, but the LP also takes in 80s Ramones energy on You Got It Wrong and even guitar-free keyboard instrumental Stranglersisms on A Stroll Through Hive Manor. Production from Jacknife Lee and Dennis Herring sees the band finally have the confidence to take things slow when they need to, and they sound all the better for it.
At 14 tracks it's probably too long, and could do with losing some of the failed experiments, like Giddy Up! and the quasi-funk of T.H.E. H.I.V.E.S, produced by Pharrell Williams - who does better with the La's/Coral soundalike Well All Right! earlier on - but the fact that they're taking those risks is a happy one which has resulted in a surprising, sound record.
8/10
Mayer Nissim