The Hives - Lex Hives

It's been 15 years since the release of the hives first album, "Barely Legal." Through the ups and downs they've remained a very consistent band with a consistent appearance... A uniformed black and white attired fivesome boasting punk/soul/aggressive Rock'N'Roll jams. Their latest release, "Lex Hives" isn't a dramatic change in formula from their other albums, but there are a few surprises.

"Go Right Ahead" is the first single and although it's not the best song on the album, it's a very well-written garage rock anthem that gives a nod to ELO... Yes, Electric Light Orchestra. The Hives certainly know what they're doing / borrowing, and even give a humorous songwriting credit to Jeff Lynne (leader and sole constant member of ELO) in the liner notes.

The strongest / best tracks on the album find the Hives digging into their standard bag of punk rock tricks with a few bells a whistles added. "1,000 Answers" is a straight-forward high-energy number that utilizes some ultra-distorted guitar riffs and piano backups on the chorus to make it stand out. "Patrolling Days" (with OFF!-like mega power riffs and New York Dolls swagger), "These Spectacles Reveal The Nostagics" (a Ramones-esque reflective track, only faster), and "If I Had A Cent" are the by far the fastest / tightest tracks.

The album also features a bunch of slower paced tracks... Some that work very well like "Take Back The Toys" and "Midnight Shifter" (a swinging, danceable, soul-influenced jam), and then some that slightly miss the mark, such as "Without The Money" (a crooning ballad). But you can't blame these guys for throwing a few new things in there.

It seems like The Hives will never die, which is a great thing for Rock'N'Roll even if it takes a bunch of Swedes to set the example for American artists. The band is currently on tour and comes with a high recomendation from this reviewer. For those of us in the Philadelphia area, it's the first time in a long time we'll have a chance to see them in our town. Long live Rock'N'Roll, and long live the Hives!

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