By Carleton Atwater
Along with The Strokes and The White Stripes, The Hives first hit it big in 2002 as part of the “garage rock revival.” While that trend might have been short-lived, the Hives had several hits from their album “Veni Vidi Vicious,” including “Hate To Say I Told You So” and “Main Offender.” Now they have returned with a new album, “Tyrannosaurus Hives.”
The new album, besides having one of the stupidest titles of the year, offers more of what the Hives do best: music to play air guitar to. The album kicks off with “Abra Cadaver,” a high-energy rocker that sounds like almost every other song the Hives have recorded. It’s full of rapid guitars and a sing-along chorus, just like their last three albums. However, the Hives have never been about stretching the limits of rock and roll. What they have been about is insanely catchy party music and that is exactly what the new album offers.
The first single from the album, “Walk Idiot Walk,” is classic Hives. It offers one of the most memorable guitar riffs you are likely to hear this year, matched with an equally great chorus. This is the stuff singing in the shower was made for.
The next few songs on the album follow suit. Songs like “No Pun Intended” and “B is for Brutus” won’t win any grammys, but that does not seem to concern these boys much. They are having a good time and they want you to come along.
The Hives are composed of Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, Nicholas Arson, Matt Destruction, Chris Dangerous and Vigilante Carlstroem.
Do not be too quick to cast off “Tyrannosaurus Hives” though. Starting with the album’s ninth track, “Diabolic Scheme,” we find more than your average party music. The tempo slows down enough to get a thoughtful song or two off. There is even a string section tossed in on certain tracks.
A noticeable improvement in the lyrics in the album’s second half can be seen as well. Take for example “Love in Plaster,” a mid-tempo declaration of unrequited love. “I really thought that we had something more than a violation of my imagination,” Almqvist laments toward the end of the song. Not exactly Shakespeare, but a vast improvement over lines like “Heavy morals seem so light but when it comes to cash I’m gonna die alright” from Veni Vidi Vicious’s “Die Alright.”
The Hives aren’t exactly a band of variety, but what they do, they do well. And while there is not much growth from their last album, we do find them exploring enough new territory to keep things interesting. Regardless of what the trends say the Hives are having a party, and you are invited.
