The Hives
★★★★
The Hives Forever, Forever The Hives
PIAS. CD/DL/LP
The hyper-energised Swedes’ seventh LP.
Forever changes: The Hives breach new ground.
“CHEWIN’ ON a plastic pen/It’s trying to kill my brain again,” yelps Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist amid O.C.D.O.D.’s blistering 1:45 duration. Such chinks in The Hives’ armour of invincibility are rare, their playful braggadocio otherwise amped to 11 as per. Billed as an “arena album” comprised of 12 potential singles, The Hives Forever… rails against nanny states (Legalize Living) and less specific ills (Enough Is Enough). It also packs not wholly unfamiliar configurations of deeply felt and furious riffage, but with the Beastie Boys’ Mike D adding “magic touches” alongside trusted-hand Pelle Gunnerfeldt (Viagra Boys etc), new ground is breached too. The title track, inspired by the band’s current motto, is a powerful evocation of The Strokes going electro, while Path Of Most Resistance taps a kooky, Devo-ish guitar hook. If your gym playlist needs refreshing, look no further.