Hives break out

In its fourth LP The Black and White Album, The Hives' similarities to the Ramones travel to another, deeper level. Sure, both groups are known for short, sharp bursts of garage rock, tongue-in-cheeek antisocial lyrics, stage names and band uniforms -- but, with The Black and White Album, The Hives have even followed the Ramones' career path. \nIn 1979, desperate for mainstream success, the Ramones turned to legendary producer Phil Spector to handle their fifth studio album. End of the Century saw the Ramones broaden its sound into early-'60s-style pop, but it wasn't the breakthrough they'd hoped for (supposedly the sessions were a disaster, with Spector pulling a gun on Dee Dee Ramone at one point). Likewise, with The Black and White Album, The Hives have attempted to break free from the garage and enlisted big-time production talent to do it (Pharrell Williams, Jacknife Lee and Dennis Herring). But the result, again, falls short of complete success.\nFor The Black and White Album's first five tracks, The Hives unquestionably deliver the goods, with "Try It Again" being an absolutely stunning single (if you don't fall for its buzzsaw guitar riff and cheerleader-chanted chorus, check your pulse). But then things get weird. The instrumental "A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors," with its eerie, slow keyboard run, is not only skip-worthy, it kills the hip-shakin' mood. And afterward, the songs become hit or miss. They mostly work -- even, I'd argue, the funk-flavored "T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S." (which other critics have maligned) -- but the piano-driven creeper "Puppet On A String" (reminiscent of The Who's "Boris The Spider") again dampens the fun, and the disco-esque track "Giddy Up!" is downright awful. \nStill, for its missteps, The Black and White Album shows some encouraging signs for The Hives' future. As great as its first three albums were, the band's consistency was turning into sameness -- with The Black and White Album, it has shown it can escape that trap.