The Hives: Lex Hives

The Hives
Lex Hives
Disque Hives Records [2012]









 Fire Note Says: The Hives are back and want to rock you out with their new long player Lex Hives.

Album Review:
It has been 5 years since The Hives last full length and Lex Hives finds the band getting more back to its basic punk/garage roots and turns out to be a fun 30 minute rock n roll stomp. I will warn you up front that if you are looking for much depth or growth from The Hives -  Lex Hives is not the record.

In fact, the songs are simple rockers with repetitive catchy hooks like the hand clapping first single "Go Right Ahead" that immediately will get stuck in your head. Lex Hives also has plenty of fist pumping energy like the speedy two minute "If I Had A Cent" and the snarling quick grinder "1000 Answers". If anything, Lex Hives suffers a bit from not honing in on this type of sound enough as The Cars sounding new wave in "Wait A Minute" doesn't fit as nicely in the sequencing or the slow waltzing "Without The Money" impedes the progression.

For better or worse, The Hives sound like the same band from 2000 that rocked everyone out on Veni Vidi Vicious and even though Lex Hives lacks any real progression the band still has every capability to deliver that windows down volume up type of experience. From the quick stand up and cheer opening "Come On!" to the closing groove on "Midnight Shifter", The Hives successfully still make rock fun. Sure you can get on a critical high horse here but The Hives don't proclaim to be anything more than what plays out on Lex Hives and for fans and others just looking for a good time this album will fill your void.

Key Tracks: "Go Right Ahead", "1000 Answers", "Midnight Shifter"

Bands With Similar Fire:
The Von Bondies
The Rolling Stones
The Delta 72

The Hives: The Black And White Album [Fire Note Review 11/13/07]

The Hives Website
The Hives Facebook

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony