REVIEW: THE HIVES -THE DEATH OF RANDY FITZSIMMONS

4/5

The Sixth Sense.

Buzzing. A hive of activity is back from Sweden for the first time in over 11 years, in the middle of this summer. The last time was 2012's 'Lex Hives' on the 1st of June. Two years after we saw them along with the likes of Robert Francis and Ben Harper and the Relentless7 support Pearl Jam at London's Hard Rock Calling. Singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist telling us in the garage band ready to rock's trademark endearing cocksure swagger that we were welcome to be in their presence. "London, you have missed us." We certainly have once again. And we're sure this time, they don't 'Hate To Say I Told You So'. Alright?! The 'Veni Vidi Vicious' boys alive again standing over the grave of 'The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons' with shovels to exhume some amazing album artwork. 

DANGER! DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE! In lightning bolt matching suits for the slick booted band for this new release off Disques Hives. It's time to feel Stockholm syndrome again as four formidable (make that five with the B-side) singles bring you back into this half-hour, all power album like the band never left and took a break. This sixth studio album began again with the bold and brilliant 'Bogus Operandi' (not to mention the music video) for your modus. "Aaaaaaaaaaah/S###, damn, overslept/I go to work/(Like I say, like I say, like I say, like I say)/I'm never coming/You never feel adored/(Like I say, like I say, like I say, like I say)." Sing along in their timeless, trademark signature. Now you know why they've been gone for so long (their longest hiatus between albums). If that wasn't a classic track to take you back in by the title, then how about the 'Countdown To Shutdown' for the strong second single to show this band still moves hits like Noah does animals. This rocker keeps it going over another vivid video. Chanting like a 'Black and White', 'Tick, Tick Boom', "It goes 4, 3, 2, 1/Countdown to shutdown/Whoo." 

The energy ever effervescent as the Almqvist sings, "And so it goes around the world/A million boys in love with a dozen girls/Tighten the screw but not for you/'Til they can't figure out what to do". Talking about "My guy Ponzi, he had a scheme/And the world is likе a head of hair/Some are waiting for thеir share/Some are bald, and one's a billionaire." I know which one I am. This is the type of raw and ready rocker to even get the stiffs moving (no disrespect Randy) with this 'Rigor Morris Radio'. Especially when it plays the latest dual single. The escape hatch in this modern age of the 'Trapdoor Solution' ("Say you got problems/I got them too/My contribution") and 'The Bomb' ("What do you wanna do?/Go off/What don’t you wanna do?/Not go off/What don’t you wanna not do?/Go off/What don’t you wanna not don’t wanna do?/Not go off/He a bomb/Me a bomb/We a bomb/She a bomb/We’re blowing up tonight"). In a summer of movie controversy, this one only takes the bloody doors off. Now let's stop it with those 'Barbenheimer' memes. But with this, it's pretty clear that this song's main offender is merely about partying. 

ABBA's own Benny Anderson's studio served as the soundscape for this ballad of Randy Fitzsimmons. For the best act out of Sweden since "you can dance". With all due respect to the Mafia of Swedish House. "Rock'n'roll can't grow up, it is a perpetual teenager and this album feels exactly like that" Pelle told Rolling Stone press regarding the "wild energy" and "suave sound" that we'd expect nothing less from when it comes to this band. And you can hear it through all the 'Smoke and Mirrors' that 'Crash Into The Weekend' for a headlining band who have just supported the Arctic Monkeys. But just who is Randy Fitzsimmons before you think we've spoken ill of the dead with that stiff reference. Well, he's the sole songwriter and the band's imaginary sixth member, seeing dead people like M. Night's movie. He's also the best way to describe the self-dubbed "horror story" that was this band's almost dozen year break. It's a new day now, though. Good morning and get ready to make some omelettes, because here are the eggs. 

Cracking over vinyl from New York to California like the 'Stick Up' that snaps that selfie stick you hold up over its knee like Larry David. Enthusiasm curbed? "A shinding helf on slice of heaven/Where thieves are first to attend/Once you’re down only then you find out/That even your selfie stick has got a s####y end." This is pretty, pretty good. That's just 'The Way The Story Goes' when you have 'Two Kinds Of Trouble' like those tracks back-to-back, moving two-by-two again with an arc of triumph. But before you 'Step Out Of The Way' of a one minute and change parting shot, it's the personal 'What Did I Ever Do To You' that truly hits different, for the best non-single on the album. Some of the best Fitzsimmons writing of this Hive mind's career coming with the brutal break of, "What did I ever do to you/I don’t deserve this, that much is true/And I don’t think there’s much that I can do/Stop screaming, you’re turning blue/Saying you don’t think that we can start anew/Maybe it doesn’t fit but at least it’s a shoe?" And if you don't agree, it's time to kick rocks and get to steppin'. "Streets are full of taxis why don’t you hail one of them?" Because the, I'm sure, self-dubbed (with good reason) best band in the world (ever) are back...and they just killed it. You're still welcome. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Playlist Picks: 'Bogus Operandi', 'Countdown To Shutdown', 'What Did I Ever Do To You?'