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 THE
HIVES- The Black and White Album (Site).
If I could age the way the Hives have, I’d be one pleased- and possibly
Dick Clark-lookin’- mofo. The
Black and White Album is the fourth full length release (not counting
their awesome best-of compilation Your
New Favourite Band) from my favourite
Swedish madmen, and I think it’s the finest thing they’ve ever
released from start to finish. Their earlier stuff primarily tended to
tear the goddamn hell out of shit in the most beautiful fashion, much the
way the most delightful people I’ve ever met have done in the bloom of
their lovely and psychotic youths. And while this disc proves that the
Hives of today haven’t lost their snotty edge and that they can still
muscle along with the best of ‘em (“You Got It All…Wrong” and
“Tick Tick Boom”), there’s also, dare I say it, a bit of catchy
sophistication throughout the CD. “Return The Favour”- one of the best
tracks on The Black and White Album- pounds along gloriously yet feels good in
the best poppy sense. It’s also impossible not to sing along with.
LOUDLY. The likes of “You Dress Up For Armageddon” (another definite
standout) and “Well All Right!” swagger and groove along like
nobody’s bidness, and they do so without relying on the Hives’ classic
trademark speed bag-pounding tempos. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, bonus
track “Fall Is Just Something That Grown-Ups Invented” is probably my
favorite (favourite) song on this entire release. (Why is it that I’m
such a sucker for bonus tracks and B-sides? The two cuts I liked best from
their last batch of songs in 2004 were the explosive and twistedly funny
B-sides “Genepool Convulsions” and “Keel-Hauling Class of ’89,”
which makes me wonder why the fuck they don’t just make these great
songs part of the actual album without fucking around and being so coy).
“F.I.J.S.T.G-U.I.” closes the disc and is full of hard-to-fault
childlike logic, bouncing along relentlessly and bringing this whole age
thing I’m going on about (well, sort of- I know it’s actually a flimsy
and kind of confusing premise) full circle. Can’t think of a better
release in 2007. –Ben Hunter. |
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