The Hives - 'The Black And White Album' (Polydor) Released 15/10/07

When The Hives arrived in England in July, they came on top of a wave of self instigated promotion that suggested that they were finally – after endless insinuations – ready to take on the world. Docking in the country for less than a handful of days in between their tour of some of mainland Europe’s little known festival sites, they played two ‘low-key’ (by The Hives’ standards anyway) shows at intimate London venues to showcase some new songs, did the odd interview here and there and then, almost as unannounced as they arrived, they went.

Since then, we’ve not heard much from The Hives. That, however, is all about to change. What their epigrammatic appearance back in July did was leave everybody who saw them wanting more. From the band’s new attire – which are the same black suits with white lapel piping and shoes that they parade on ‘The Black And White Album’s’ cover – to their new, more melodically impassioned music. Even if you didn’t see them, so good was the precise promotion that you’d have had to be pretty ignorant to have not heard about it.

Powering all this was one thing: a major record contract with Polydor. Until last year, The Hives had relied almost solely on self-promotion (something which, admittedly, they’re still very good at) to sell their music. Hence, the identikit suits; the outlandish statements of intent; the mystery behind their formation (they still maintain that Randy Fitzsimmons is the mogul behind their brand), and; well, everything. In order to captivate audiences, and sell some records on the way, The Hives had had to do it themselves.

Speaking to this writer in August, the band’s frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist was barefaced about their new situation. “You don’t know for how long there will be major label money involved in making music and its expensive going abroad to record,” he said, frankly. “So if we were going to do it we were gonna do it now or never.” The question this raises is with, as Almqvist says, “major label money involved,” have The Hives lost exactly what made them your new favourite band in the first place?