AKA IDIOT - Hives (The)

Advantages: fast and exciting.A few stunning tracks
Disadvantages: All a bit samey and one dimensional

...The Hives released their debut album in Sweden in 1997,but only acheived recognition through this compilation released on Alan McGee's Poptones label.'Your new favourite band' collects a selection of tracks from the albums 'Barely Legal' and 'Veni vidi vicious' as well as the 'a.k.a I-D-I-O-T' ep.There is also a b-side from the 'Hate to say I told you so' single. The Hives are a five piece clearly influenced by 1970's rock and punk.There's more than a hint of Mick Jagger in the vocal, but the music mainly resembles Iggy and The Stooges,The Buzzcocks and even Sham 69.All five members of the band where identical black and white clothing and have names like Dr Matt Destruction and Chris Dangerous.So as you can guess they don't take themselves too seriously. When The Hives are good they are very bloody good indeed.'Hate to say I told you... Read review

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Advantages: Fresh, new, bags of talent and energy, good, real rock
Disadvantages: Some duff tracks, dangerous drift between skatepunk and greeb sometimes

...for me, but some very talented guitar playing, crashing cymbals and good pace. 8 - Here We Go Again - getting back on track with this one, good, bleak sounding rock, solid stuff. 9 - a.k.a. I-D-I-O-T - Again, wow. jaw-droppingly fast, great punky track, fantastic chorus, full of controlled rage and energy 10 - Automatic Schmuck - again, loads of energy, haunting guitar background, very pacey, although with an odd aftertaste, doesn't quite feel right. 11 - Hail Hail Spit n' Drool - a nice mix of modern punk with proper rock, a real shout-it-out chorus, although there are some duff moments, and its all over too quickly. 12- The Hives are law, You are Crime - an instrumental track, chill-out for rock fans? Overall, this is a smart collection of tracks, full of energy and blistering pace, although I think that the album really suffers... Read review

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Advantages: Spiky garage rock with a kick, infectious, raw rock 'n' roll
Disadvantages: Idiotic lyrics, simple guitar work, inconsistent

...you’ve ever heard. For example, would you even bother listening to songs that were called: “a.k.a I-D-I-O-T” and “Hail Hail Spit n’ Drool”? Then again, if ‘intelligent’ is what you are expecting, you have already misunderstood the whole point of The Hives. For although this is perhaps one of the most unoriginal and uninspiring albums I have ever heard, it is also one of the most infectious with simplistic, catchy riffs and raw vocals (epitomised by the hit single “Hate to say I told you so”). Indeed, this bunch are not out to try anything new, their only objective being to make music which you can truly party to. Interestingly enough, all the songs on this album are taken from four separate EP’s making this album somewhat of a ‘Best of’ collection. Yet, you would hardly notice as all the songs on display here possess identical structures... Read review

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