It would be pretty easy to despise a band that once released a best-of record entitled Your New Favourite Band, as well as a song that boasts, "[We] are Law, You are Crime." I was certainly inclined to feel this way about The Hives at one time. But after listening to the Swedish quintet's latest juggernaut of an album, I can't argue that they haven't earned this lofty facade, or at least followed through on it. The Hives deliver their brand of audacious garage punk with a tight, stylistic edge, setting them apart from their sloppier contemporaries. Tyrannosaurus Hives, their third full-length, is their most confident and masterful work yet, and for that I'll allow a little arrogance.
Just as with the 2002 smash, Veni Vidi Vicious, Tyrannosaurus packs in 12 cocky, unrelenting punk rock assaults, with nary a sleeper to be found. The meters stay in the red for most of the album's 29 minutes, while breathing room between tracks is kept to a minimum (when not eliminated entirely). Guitarists Nicholaus Arson and Vigilante Carlstroem live up to their pseudonyms, playing turbocharged riffs and maintaining dynamic interaction that sounds stellar in a pair of headphones, while Chris Dangerous's drumming is so precise even at breakneck speeds, it is hard to believe it isn't programmed.
Where Tyrannosaurus Hives improves on its predecessor is in its willingness to tread new ground. Vicious, despite its concise running time, managed to drag a bit due to repetitiveness, but Tyrannosaurus finds the Hives taking a few more risks musically, and it pays off. "Diabolic Scheme," with its stomping 6/8 rhythm and dramatic string arrangement, is the most striking departure. It's the kind of track that will likely irritate stubborn fans, but it should excite those who are craving something new. The same is true of, "A Little More for Little You," the band's catchiest song to date, with quite danceable verses and an explosive sing-along chorus that features vocalist Howlin' Pelle Almqvist's most infectious melody yet.
Though the aforementioned track seems to have the most hit single potential, it has not surprisingly been passed up in favor of the more straightforward, "Walk Idiot Walk," which, like "Hate to Say I Told You So" before it, is the least exciting and most derivative song on the album. Its central guitar riff, practically lifted straight from The Who's "I Can't Explain," is repeated ad nauseum, and by its third minute the track is begging to be skipped. Fortunately, it is the only truly weak song on the record, and with 11 other gems making up for it, it is easily forgiven.
With Tyrannosaurus Hives, The Hives simply sound better than ever. They have clearly mastered their craft, and have begun to push it beyond its boundaries without betraying its punk ethic. As its name suggests, this is one of the year's biggest records.
1. Abra Cadaver
2. Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones
3. Walk Idiot Walk
4. No Pun Intended
5. A Little More for Little You
6. B is for Brutus
7. See Through Head
8. Diabolic Scheme
9. Missing Link
10. Love in the Plaster
11. Dead Quote Olympics
12. Antidote
More about: The Hives
