Pros: Walk Idiot Walk, Two-Timing Touch..., Diabolic Scheme and more!
Cons: Simplistic language, sound-alike style...
The Bottom Line: If you weren't sure about The Hives a few years ago, why not try them out again? Tyrannosaurus Hives is a better look at the Swedish punk-pop rockers.
lambchops's Full Review: Tyrannosaurus Hives by The Hives
While so many other folks were busy professing their undying love for The Hives following their 2000 breakthrough Veni Vidi Vicious I remained largely unsold on the Swedish band’s musical merit. Entertaining? Most certainly, but The Hives didn’t seem to have the spark that made other contemporaries like The White Stripes so very special.
In the early part of this millennium I was among the thousands burnt out on the new crop of “The” bands. Their sound was refreshing but with a slew of similar (at least on the surface) sounding bands to choose from they became something of a nameless, faceless population. Veni Vidi Vicious was the second album from The Hives and yielded their first mainstream success in the form of song Hate To Say I Told You So. However to me this album lacked verve and creativity.
Formed in 1993, The Hives consist of Fagersta natives Nicholaus Arson, Chris Dangerous, Dr. Matt Destruction, Vigilante Carlstroem, and Howlin' Pelle Almqvist who while donning black-and-white regalia produce songs that blend punk attitude with pop melodies. They are kinetic and catchy and up until this year’s release of Tyrannosaurus Hives I failed to really see what separated them from the pack. Now I know—and I apologize to the masses that I have in the past flatly ignored regarding this band. I was mostly wrong, though I still find myself somewhat apathetic over the whole album despite a few outstanding songs.
Those few songs are nicely dispersed throughout Tyrannosaurus Hives but the largest concentration is (as to be expected) early on. My single favorite song is Walk Idiot Walk, but most of the songs have a similar arrangement and many are nearly as appealing. This one in particular is hip and catchy and fantastically appealing. It’s the kind of song that when played at excessive volume levels in the car causes the driver (aka “me”) to hit the gas pedal in such a way to result in high speed. Safe? No way, but fun. The words are simple and impossible to forget—so simple in fact that it brings up the fact that the Hives are indeed foreign—English is not their first language. Their lyrics are such are simplistic at best and stupid at worst. This doesn’t mean they are boring—just don’t listen expecting great philosophical revelations. Regardless Walk Idiot Walk pretty much rocks my socks.
Speaking of rocking, there are a handful of other fabulous songs I must bring to your attention. Abra Cadaver is a fast-paced, rough punk-laced song. It’s kinetic and fun and the perfect start to a commendable album. Two Timing Touch and Broken Bones isn’t the best of the album, but it’s melody and beat are among the most memorable. The vocals (with hints of Perry Farrell) are annoying at times but worth checking out. A Little More for Little You is one of the odder offerings but still it reeks of massively entertaining pop-punk (aka “Garage”) feeling. Finally, Diabolic Scheme is a wonderful song which mixes orchestral strings with a Police-like melody and gruff vocals and a strangely rough production style. It all works wonderfully together and in the end this is one of the best songs of the album.
There are some seriously fantastic songs here--Walk Idiot Walk, Two Timing Touch and Broken Bones, Abra Cadaver and Diabolic Scheme are the best of the disc—worth investigating. Tyrannosaurus Hives however isn’t a perfect album. The songs largely sound alike and even clock in around the same length. They are fast, fun, and not exactly thoughtful. I guess it’s fitting that the best song is also the longest. Walk Idiot Walk is an epic (at least in terms of The Hives) three minutes and thirty seconds. The album also suffers from the second-half syndrome. Basically the first half kicks butt. The second half on the other hand is lacking in comparison. Nothing here is bad really, but when such a concentration of good much can be found on the first hand it is hard to get much out of tracks like Love in Plaster, Dead Quote Olympics and the like.
Fortunately for The Hives the good songs are nearly great which makes up nicely for the ho-hum ones. My suggestion? If you also were less than sold on the band with their 2000 sophomore effort (Veni Vidi Vicious) then it is probably worth trying Tyrannosaurus Hives on for size as it’s certainly a good album.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Abra Cadaver
02. Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones
03. Walk Idiot Walk
04. No Pun Intended
05. A Little More for Little You
06. B Is for Brutus
07. See Through Head
08. Diabolic Scheme
09. Missing Link
10. Love in Plaster
11. Dead Quote Olympics
12. Antidote
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