Dumpster Bust 2004 Album of the Year: Tyrannosaurus Hives, by The Hives
Published December 30, 2004
Tyrannosaurus Hives really kicks into high gear on the fourth track, "No Pun Intended," which thrashes with a timeless zest, building and falling and building again. You can see with this song where the band came from, that "Vini Vidi Vicious," a good album, held the seeds for the greatness that would come later. "See Through Head" keeps up the pace, and is indeed one of the best rock songs I've heard this year. The brilliance is in the accompanying Uh uh uh ohs! which bring in a Pixies alt-rock vibe along with pulsing, crashing guitars with tones that crunch just so: ah, glorious it be to thee and thine.
By the time "Missing Link" rolls around, you think there's got to be a drop off, but it doesn't come: slightly dissonant guitars lend it a zoomy futuristic punch and mix wildly with a bass line that constantly seems to climb up a high perch before hopping off and beginning all over again.
Partially because of frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist's howling, lurching vocals and partially because its rock doing what rock does best: KISS, the lyrics aren't really the point here, which is why I haven't mentioned them until now:
You wake up in the morning and you ain't got a prayer
Your boss is coming down on you and you can't pay the rent
Exactly. This is the kind of album you crank in your living room after a brutal day at the cube farm, and scream and dance and shout like The Kids in the Hall put it: Fuck the bank! Fuck the bank! (DB Note: Just draw the shades first so as not to frighten unsuspecting neighbors).
Part The Cars on speed, Part Kurt Cobain on Xanax, and part The Knack getting its Knack on, Tyrannosaurus Hives brings it with the massive force of a, well... large ferocious dinosaur of lore. If you like upbeat, aggressive rock with new wave and power pop undertones, this album demands of you: possess its greatness.
For more on this and every other topic under the sun, check out:
Dumpster Bust: Manufacturing Miracles from Mind Trash, Since 2003
Eric Berlin is the Executive Producer of Blogcritics.org and publisher of Online Media Cultist. He's also prone to referring to himself in the third person in author bios in an attempt to make it look like someone Less Important wrote it for him.
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- Dumpster Bust 2004 Album of the Year: Tyrannosaurus Hives, by The Hives
- Published: December 30, 2004
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- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Alternative Rock, Music: Hard Rock, Music: Punk Rock, Music: Rock
- Writer: Eric Berlin
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hey Eric, I was away when you published this. I have a very strong positive opinion about the Hives and this album in particular as expressed rah chyeer, although I probably won't pick it as album of the year. I'm working on my list now.
Excellent review, thanks!
Eric - nice work over on MSNBC! I'm glad I didn't read it before writing this piece up, as it would have fright, I mean skewed my point of view.
I have trouble seeing the Kraftwerk influence with The Hives, but then again I only have a passing familiarity with their work. When I hear "Get Real Paid" by Beck, I get it, but here... not so much.
~ Eric B.
I was a bit confused by the reference too, but i believe he meant the use of drones as opposed to any kind of synthy influence
I had to think about your drone comment for a little bit. Then, I dug up this definition: "In music, a continuous accompanying note usually played in the bass. Its main feature is that it is sustained or persistently repeated throughout a piece or part of a piece of music."
Meanwhile, I'm listening to Kraftwerk's The Model and I'm catching on to the influence a wee bit slightly more. Particularly with tracks like "The Robots" there's a pulsy, electronic continuity. Plus, it's got a kind of catchy mechanical lunacy that I could see both Beck and The Hives getting with.
~ Eric B.
then you can have some "fahn fahn fahn on de Autobahn"
very clever! Have you been listening to that Beach Boys/Kraftwerk mash-up?
Nope -- it just sounded catchy. The Model is my lone Kraftwerk posession.
A BB/Kraftwerk mash-up sounds worth investigating though...
check out the "Autobahn" album - it's was pioneering and is still classic
So true, EB -- Kraftwerk is one of the truly-new music makers. "Show-Room Dummies" is the music that plays in my head whenever I see our Governator, Ahnold!
Thanks DrPat. Been thinking about what might make the '05 album of the year -- between The White Stripes and Beck...
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No opinions on The Hives out there? Hmmm.... shame.