The Black and White Album

iTunes Review

The Hives deliver team spirit: thick chords, unison sung choruses, collective yells, doo-wop backing vocals, punk energy and an irreverent sense of fun. The “woo-hoos” that stalk the southern backporch baptism fire of “Well All Right!,” the Ramones chords that steamroll “Tick Tick Boom,” the Iggy Pop swagger of “Hey Little World” and “Won’t Be Long” make this Swedish quintet a formidable ally in the struggle to keep raw, infectious garage rock alive in 2007. Sure, plenty of bands have the spirit, but The Hives possess an extra musical and conceptual thrust. Their black and white visuals perfectly complement their ‘no gray area’ music. It’s a simple up or down vote, yet they’re not afraid to stray from the manual and tap their experimental side. The album was recorded in Mississippi, Miami, London and Sweden and the results are just as sprawling. “A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors” is a lo-fi B-movie instrumental where the cheap organ sounds as if it’s being manhandled by an intruder wearing gloves, whereas “T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.” is their dance-floor collaboration with hip-hop producer Pharell Williams that sounds like a young punk’s homage to Chic through the ears of Devo.