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THE HIVES - The Black And White Album (A&M/Octane)
 What do you do when, back as far as 2002 you're toted as being the Next Big Thing, according to Rolling Stone and well, that prophecy just doesn't materialize as far as huge shows and millions of albums sold? First, you take a breath (dang, that was a long sentence), then you keep on putting on mind-blowing shows (so far I've only read about the Hives' shows, not seen one, but reports are always great), and continue to put out albums like The Black and White Album (named after the Beatles' "White" & Metallica's "Black" albums), that kicks the kind of ass that only a smart, snotty, stylish garage punk rock band can, and don't look back!
Hot on the heels of Division of Laura Lee, Sahara Hot Nights, etc., The Hives carry on the Swedish Invasion, incorporating punk, garage, and all things Chuck Berry into rockin' anthems, with a heavy dose of their own style (fuck Abba) mixed in.
At times lead singer His Royal Highness, Prince (that's what it says in the liner notes. Maybe they were knighted by the Swiss government?), Howlin' Pelle Almqvist screams like a man possessed in Nirvana-style rave-ups such as "Tick Tick Boom," "Won't be Long" or "Bigger Hole to Fill." Over a crowd-pleasing, self-promoting theme song, "T.H.E. H.I.V.E.S." (shouldn't every band have a theme song?), the band sounds like psychedelic angels stuck somewhere between heaven and purgatory.
The Black and White Album has a lot to try to live up to, citing The Beatles & Metallica, and wanting to match their record selling prowess. All the songs here blow away the Strokes-clone cliches of the past few years.
The Hives have been rocking big time for a while now, and like The White Stripes, or Vines, and have much in common because they all usually get lumped together showing how rock fans across the world are starved for some necessary ready-to-rumble, adrenaline pumping punk rock. The Hives want to take us back to the future, to a time when bands are once again considered necessary and vital, and DJ's are sacred. And for almost forty minutes, they succeed gloriously!- Phil Rainone
WHITE BLUE YELLOW AND CLOUDS - Introducing... (ierecs.com)
Ya know, when I heard The Pipettes new album, I thought it was as close as anyone would come to recapturing 50's/60's doo-wop, soul, & rock 'n' roll since, well, Meatloaf ( although overplayed by format radio, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" was a kick-ass 50's-style rocker). But listening to the band White, Blue, Yellow and Clouds (kind of a crappy name), I find an even deeper appreciation to the glory days of doo-wop and all that cool music that springs from that musical well. "Lovers Never say Goodbye" rivals The Teddy Bears' (Phil Spector's first band), for sheer tenderness, and slack-jaw harmonies. I know it's a stretch for just about anyone who reads Jersey Beat (hey, we are "Punker Than You"), but if you want to hear the music that helped rock 'n' roll get its start, than the neo- soul, R&B, and R&R that crosses so many boundries on this album will fill in a few of the missing colors in your punk rock paint box.- Phil Rainone
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