When The Hives released The Black and The White Album almost 6 years ago, it was met with a little less fanfare than they were accustomed to. Fans had come to expect a certain sound from them, and consequently, struggled somewhat with the different style of the 2007 release. Faced with somewhat dwindling support in the States, and with what lead singer Pele Holmqvist described as "Typical rock & roll bullshit" the band found themselves taking a much needed break. They return to the scene a half decade later with Lex Hives, and one thing seems clear: If nothing else, the break allowed them to renew their focus and figure out what it is that they do well.
This is evident from the get go, as Lex Hives sees the band forgoing the gimmicks and skits in favor of a more straightforward approach that is sure to be noticed by fans of the band. No folks, there are no "A Stroll Through Hives Manor Corridors" or "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." here; whereas those tracks unsuccessfully diverted from the successful formula The Hives have established for themselves, Lex Hives is a much more concentrated effort. Noticeable as soon as raucous opener "Come On!" fires up, The Hives didn't mess around in the studio. They've really focused on highlighting their strengths.
Speaking of strengths, lead single "Go Right Ahead" is a bombast of a track, despite royally aping "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO. Even considering the striking similarity, what this song lacks in originality it makes up for in fun; even the lyrics are supposed to be lighthearted. "Like a tiger breaking out of the zoo/Do anything that you wanna do/The rumors you heard, they were all true," shouts Pele, cocky persona entirely intact. The Hives return to the more traditional punk sound favored on their earlier albums with track "1000 Answers", which sounds like it was recorded during a cocaine fueled late night drive. It's so fast and the strumming is so rapid that it will be over before you realize it, but it doesn't seem like the writing process was rushed or hurried as it's a well crafted song.
Like a fresh coat of paint on a familiar vehicle, The Hives offer up "Wait A Minute", the second single off of the disc. The bass is funky and blends seamlessly with the drums and the repeated lines of "wait a minute now/wait a minute/wait a minute now" and steady guitar work from the typically steadfast Vigilante Carlstroem and Nicholaus Arson. "Take Back The Toys" is an aggressive and perfect portrayal of what listeners have come to expect from the band. Quite possibly one of the best tracks the band has penned, the 7th track on Lex Hives is sure to to be a favorite amongst old and new listeners alike.
That isn't to say there aren't any missteps; "I Want More" is a curious choice with it's stripped down approach of mostly bass and drums. That may work for other songs in their catalog, but it comes across as somewhat unfinished here. It could certainly be better. There are several tracks that are lacking a spark or an intriguing element, such as "Patrolling Days", and "Without The Money". Worst of all, is "My Time Is Coming", a song that could have easily found a place on The Black and The White Album, which is to say it possesses a style that the band should steer clear of.
The album closes with a bang though, as "If I Had A Cent" is a powerful blast of strumming and hasty drumming. Album conclusion "Midnight Shifter" is an excellent representation of the positive qualities of the album: the tenacious strumming, carefree lyrics and general sense of confidence that finds an artist whenever they have hit their stride. For their sake, and ours, lets hope they don't break pace any time soon. 81/100
No comments:
Post a Comment