Lex Hives
Lex Hives puts the guitars firmly back in front. That quickly produces a few strong moments. Pelle Almqvist sounds eager, and the short songs avoid much fuss. Familiar garage rock suits the band, but returning to basics does not guarantee a convincing album. Between the fierce passages are songs that depend too heavily on an established idea.
"Go Right Ahead" has a chorus that sticks quickly, helped by a riff with a clear resemblance to ELO. "Wait A Minute" also chooses repetition and an easily followed rhythm. Both make useful singles, but the album often returns to ideas that already worked on earlier records. Its familiar sound therefore becomes less exciting as it continues. Almqvist keeps singing with conviction even when the songs offer fewer surprises.
The opening of "Patrolling Days" works better. Its guitar creates immediate pressure and the singing keeps the energy high. The careful production does remove some of the looseness from that fierce opening. It regularly sounds too tidy to offer a real surprise.
"1000" shows how effective a short song can be. The guitar chords remain sharply clipped and the pace leaves little room for doubt. This is territory where the band clearly feels at home. Handclaps and saxophone bring some additional movement to "Midnight Shifter". Moments like these make Lex Hives worth hearing. As a whole, it remains an uneven return, placing energetic singing and a few good songs against an overly tidy presentation and well-worn riffs. Even a short album can spend too much time in the same place.
