The Hives, the Swedish bomb that rocked the world with hits like “Hate to Say I Told You So” and “Tick Tick Boom,” just came back from the dead with their latest album, “The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons.“.
After a 11 years hiatus, The Hives finally albumed! As longtime fans, we were dying to listen to this new opus by Swedish rock royalty. Here’s our (hopefully) non-biased review.
Putting the Fun in Funeral
Right from the opening track, “Bogus Operandi,” it’s clear that the vikings are here to slay. The signature restleness and out-of-this world energy are as vibrant as ever. Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s vocals are as electrifying as ever. Powerful guitars, thunderous drums, impeccable bass make you want to dive into the pit straight away.
As always, there’s no space for silence and bangers keep coming at you without leaving you any chance to breathe : the brief and intense “Trapdoor Solution”, the overwhelming and apocalyptic “Countdown to Shutdown”, the sassy and earwormy “Rigor Mortis Radio”, the explosive “Two kinds of Trouble”…
A remarkable thing in this album is the bold presence of brass instruments, which amplify the power of songs like “Stick Up”, a bluesy juggernaut, or the bitter “What Did I Ever Do to You”, two of our favorite songs in this opus. Speaking of Blues, the band dwelves deep into it and really amazes in the song “Crash into The weekend”, a infectious tune that lets Howlin’ Pelle (finally!) play with his a baryton voice.
The lyrics are, as usual, fun and a bit cryptic. The songs globally talk about partying, disappointing your love ones, being a selfish douche and chaos.
Why you should listen to “The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
Long-awaited, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons isn’t just a return. It’s a triumph, the absolute proof that the vikings are a force that cannot be ignore in the musical scene. The album manages to pick up early work influences while still surprising his longtime fans. The newcomers will surely adore its infectious energy.
We’re not the only one who fell in love with this headbanging beast. The reviews were fairly good for this new LP :
- “Their formula is both stupid and sublime: sledgehammer guitars, drums that sound like they’re being punctured as they’re being played, obtuse lyrics delivered at a steady Scandinavian scream. Look elsewhere for maturity and subtlety. The Hives have only one goal: a bloody good time.” (Pitchfork).
- “Having spent 11 years away from the studio, The Hives zapped straight back into the only mode they know: pure pandemonium. It’s about time new generations received this healthy dose of old school Hives, packed with the same intensity, goofiness – and of course, the matching black and white suits. It’s what Randy Fitzsimmons would have wanted.” (NME).
- “As character assassinations go, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons is a riotously good time. It’s no major reinvention of the Hives’ electrified vocals, staccato guitar, and relentless pace, but it finds the band heavier, louder and faster than ever” (The Guardian).
What are you still doing here? Go listen to this album right now!
