ALBUM REVIEW: The Hives - The Black and White Album

The Hives
The Black and White Album
Interscope, 2007

I have to admit that, for me, there’s always been something slightly off-putting about Swedish rock music. It might be some kind of personal failing, but whenever I hear a rock song sung with a Swedish accent I can’t help but feel a certain sense of irony. To me, it sounds a bit like what rock music might sound like if it were made by aliens who had been given the task of studying rock stars and then themselves making a rock record. Now, I like the Swedes: everyone knows what a fine hockey player Mats Sundin is, and the Swedish Chef is world renowned for his culinary prowess. But rock and roll? I have thus far remained firmly unconvinced.

Imagine my surprise then, when I put on The Black and White Album, the latest waxing from The Hives. It is, in short, an ass-kicking slab of garage rock that has more riffs than a class taught by Jack Black. How could this happen? How could a band that comes from a place with a name like Fagersta come up with such a righteous record chock full of energy, speed and some excellently stoopid lyrics?

Lead single Tick Tick Boom is also the first track, and as is my habit of first listening to an album without looking at the package, I couldn’t understand why Howlin' Pelle Almqvist kept singing “dick, dick, dick…” over and over again. It was an intriguing notion, if not more than a little weird.

The Hives have been around for over ten years, and The Black and White Album is their fourth. At this point, most bands decide that they want to make their lasting STATEMENT, and then go and release a serious and boring record. Not our lads The Hives. For The Black and White Album, the only thing that’s changed is the wardrobe. Oh yes, they still dress entirely in black and white, but this time they’re rocking a school-boy look that recalls AC/DC’s Angus Young. Sure, Young’s advanced age makes him look ridiculous in short pants, but it’s not as creepy as seeing gargantuan guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem dressed like a giant-sized Pugsley Addams.

Head Hive Nicholaus Arson, still drinks deeply from the well of The Stooges, but here and there are speed-pop bursts that recalls The Ramones, The Sex Pistols and even The New York Dolls. Well All Right sounds so akin to Blur’s Song Two, you can’t help but think that Damon Albarn could initiate legal action, except how could you sue a band that took your template and made it rock so hard and excellently?

The Black and White Album is a great little jolt of energy that may induce excessive speed if listened to while driving a vehicle. Sure, it’s not going to go down as the best record ever made, but listen to it for the fun of it, and open your mind, as I did, to the notion that our Scandinavian brethren can rock just as hard as anyone.

Review by Greg Hood-Morris

Agree? Disagree? Email Greg at criticizegreg@gmail.com

Comments

[Aaron]

I have to admit, you can write. I don't believe, however, that you can be considered any sort of expert on "rock and roll" if you're really surprised by the strength of a Swedish band.

From the Refused to the Hellacopters Sweden's good for a lot more than hockey players and meatballs.

International Noise Conspiracy are one of the top live acts around and their last album was produced by Rick Rubin.

Not only that but the Hives last two albums were even more speed inducing than anything on this one. Really, they were probably better than B&W ever had a chance to be. So what gives, just catching on now?

Personal failings, indeed.

[Greg]

Aaron: Canada is internationally renowned for giving the world Celine Dion and Brian Adams. I am personally very sorry for this. Sweden's main musical exports are fluffy bands like Abba and The Cardigans. It's not anyone's fault, and it shouldn't be taken badly. Perhaps I should emphasise that I actually liked Tyrranosaurus Hives, but I wasn't reviewing music back then. As well, I have been digging Swedish garage rock for a number of years now, but really, who in the world remembers Enjoy The Creeps?

[Max]

I gotta admit you've might got one or two points in this review (for example that this album, err... what's the word? rocks) but since when is Mats Sundin and the Swedish cook Sweden's greatest tributes to the world? If we're talking Swedish hockey stars Forsberg or Zetterberg are way better than Sundin, and the Swedish cook isn't even Swedish, damn it!

And music wise we've got way more than ABBA and the Cardigans. That you don't know that just goes to show how little you know, more than anything. I mean, no one knows THAT little about music. Surely, there are a lot more internationally recognized Swedish bands than ABBA and The Cardigans.

And even if ABBA and The Cardigans was the only widely known Swedish bands you really shouldn't be writing album reviews if you didn't know any other bands. The same goes for Canada, if you only know Celine Dion and Brian Adams, you don't really know much. Do you?

[Greg]

Max: As Abba is one of the most popular bands of all time, I should think it a challenge to name a more famous one from Sweden. Really, that's not an indictment or anything, and it shouldn't make you feel insecure. I know Sweden is known for more than hockey players and Ingmar Bergman.

I mean, it's also known for the famous "Swedish connundrum", which is this: how can a country that's practically dark and snow-bound for half the year be so internationally renowned for producing hot babes? It really is a mystery.

So don't worry about the fact that my knowledge of Scandinavian bands is a little fuzzy: it's probably a damned shade better than your knowledge of Canuck rock. Besides, I bet you hadn't even HEARD of The Creeps, who hail from Sweden. Their album "Enjoy The Creeps" is a garage rock masterpiece.

Why not go and watch Wild Strawberries and try not to be too depressed about the coming winter? A nice plate of meatballs with lingonberry sauce hits the spot!

Sincerely,

Greg

ps: "bork, bork, bork, bork".

[adam]

"bork, bork, bork, bork"?

Meatballs with lingonberries hit the spot? Yeah it's probably better than anything they eat in Canada but what really hit the spot was your little "ps" there. Is that Canadian, perhaps? Or what was that "aboot"?

No, why would I be depressed of the winter? Canada isn't exactly one of the hottest countries in the world. Unlike Sweden. Hehe... You see what I did there?

And yeah you probably know a lot more of Swedish and/or Scandinavian rock than I know of "Canuck rock". You know what? I actually think you know more of Swedish music than YOU know of Canadian.

And here comes an understandable ps:
ps. at least we Swedes know how to speak English correctly. Have a good day!

[Brian McKechnie]

We are completely off topic here. Who cares where it came from - the album rocks (and the track Square One makes me yell MORE COWBELL!).

Kudos to the band for making a great album.

-Brian

[GeniInwanny]

Most people will listen to your unreasonable demands, if you'll consider
their unacceptable offer.

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