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The Hives - Black & White Album |
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Written by I_Lion
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Monday, 05 May 2008 11:37 |
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 The Hives latest release is a certain dichotomy of forms, past and present. The name rings true as the weave through two distinct styles through the course of the album's 14 tracks and 45 minutes.
The opening few tracks hold the weakest song, opening single “Tick Tick Boom” starts strong but fails miserably at the hook, and the standard Hives formula of clanging chords and hoarse, tongue in cheek, shouty vocals take over and permeate the following two tracks. It’s not till the bar room swagger of pirate shanty “Well Alright” that we see any curious instrumental and vocal progression in the sound of the group from albums past. Howlin’ Pelle channels Wolf Parades Spencer Krug, and the tempo and clatter are comparable.
The album continues on in this manner, splicing in carnivalesque funeral dirges [“A Stroll through Hive Manor Corridors”] and campy keyboard riffing [“Puppets on a String”] amidst a scattering of well written, but ultimately unmemorable garage pop songs. “It Won’t Be Long” and “You Dress Up for Armageddon” might ebb their way, over the test of time into the Hives live “rock-out” set, but you’ve heard better on most of Veni Vedi Vicious.
“T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.” pairs Michael Jackson funk and vocal catcalls with a new wave melody and staccato baritone chants in what is probably the albums most embarrassingly awesome track. “Return the Favour” returns the songs to suck for the next few tracks, including the disappointingly bland vocal performance of “Giddy Up”, which otherwise, might have scored points as a club banger.
The album fails before it starts but wins most of the battles through out the rest of the album, racking up the redeeming qualities of their original cleverly engaging and gregarious pomp ‘n sass punk potlucked with some interesting production techniques and diversions in songwriting.
Rest assured though, when the 5 well dressed gentleman roll into Saskatoon, weak songs cast to the way side, they’ll bring the rock proper. The Odeon, May 21st and the tickets roll in at a self-defeatingly steep $42.25 (with service charges).
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