The Hives — The Black and White Album

• Artist: The Hives
• Title: The Black and White Album
• Year: 2007
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: All of us
• Acquired: 2008
• Keeper: Yes

I want to be in The Hives! The suits alone are enough incentive for me, but the music on The Black and White Album makes the dream of band membership irresistible. I like all their records but this is the best one yet. The Hives have that essence rare that reminds me of The Fleshtones: familiar but fresh, fun but not dumb, and always rocking even when the music is low key. At times this record is more punk than punk rock and more funky than funk. I can’t get enough of it. I’m probably playing it, in its entirety, at least five times a day. It’s hard to pick favorites but one standout is the fast rocking “Won’t Be Long.” It has a glockenspiel riff that is a perfect layer of icing atop a multilayer rock and roll cake, like the recorder solo in “Wild Thing” by The Troggs.

Visit their site, buy their music, watch the videos, see them live. Look for me playing glockenspiel in the back.

Everyone’s a loser in the modern world
Look at all the sad and gloomy little boys and girls
I know all you got is troubles all you got is woes
Shake the chips off your shoulders here’s how it
goes…
Whoooo Hoooo!

“Well All Right!” – The Hives