Tyrannosaurus Hives

• Import

Amazon Review There were fears that Tyrannosaurus Hives, the major label debut from the Hives could find these Scandinavian punk showmen somewhat compromised. After all, their breakthrough LP, 2002's Your New Favourite Band--a compilation of tracks that date back to 97 and their time on Swedish punk label Burning Heart--worked because it struck exactly the right balance between amphetamine punk snarl and addictive pop gold. Refreshingly though, even under the yoke of a major label, the Hives play their rock & roll like a fuse burning short. "Abra Cadaver" is a two-minute blast of Stooges worship that joyfully confirms the band's pledge to straight-up garage--and intriguingly, it finds lead singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist sounding more like the Strokes' Julian Casablancas than ever, albeit Casablancas with blood on his shoes and skin under his fingernails. Meanwhile, there's myriad moments where the Hives demonstrate themselves to be far more than a boozy bar-band: "No Pun Intended", which wields a curious complex chord progression you'd perhaps expect from Fugazi, or "Diabolic Scheme" a taut, mid-paced number bedecked with stabbing violin sweeps straight out of a Hammer horror. --Louis Pattison Product Description UK pressing of the Swedish garage rock heroes' 2004 album features 14 tracks including two bonus tracks, 'Up Tight' & 'The Hives Meet the Norm'. Includes the first hit single 'Walk Idiot Walk'. Polydor.