It's been about two years since The Hives came to our attention and forced journalists to coin the term "garage rock" to describe their incredibly raw but catchy sound. Since then they've excited record industry types in America and recorded a new album. Judging from this, its lead single, we're in for much more of the same - think Hate To Say I Told You So remixed. Despite containing quite possibly the simplest and catchiest riff we are likely to hear all year, Pele Almqvist's incredibly one-dimensional howl makes this sound much like anything on Your New Favourite Band.
Not to say that revolution is always the way forward, but they still don't have an awful lot to say - it was about someone known as idiot on the last album, now they're observing his/her actions - "See The Idiot Walk/See The Idiot Talk."
It's not quite the explosive comeback we all expected from Fagersta's finest. Having said that, fans of the band will love it. It represents another slab of unadulterated rock 'n' roll to twist and shout to at summer festivals; it's just not going to win over any highbrow Rapture listeners.
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