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TYRANNOSAURUS HIVES
The Hives
(Polydor-Universal)
Style-minded Swedish garage-rock outfit The Hives return to record stores on Tuesday with an album whose title would suggest a band returning to its prehistoric roots.
However, this followup to their hailed 2000 sophomore effort, Veni Vidi Vicious is hardly a cruder version of their earlier rapid-fire punk and tinny new wave sounds.
Even their signature black-and-white outfits remain intact, judging from the album cover, along with their cheeky sense of humour.
Standouts here are the wonderfully named Abra Cadaver, Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones, No Pun Intended, B Is For Brutus, See Through Head, Missing Link, Love In Plaster and Dead Quote Olympics.
It's fun-enough listening, as songs move quickly one after the other, with little change in pace or delivery.
However, in terms of anthems, nothing really stays with you afterward.
Two notable detours are the clap-happy first single, Walk Idiot Walk, and the dramatic ballad Diabolic Scheme, complete with strings and lead singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist doing his best vocal emoting.
Track Listing
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 Plaster
11. Dead Quote Olympics
12. Antidote