It's been three years since we last heard from the Hives and now they finally resurface on their own (after that insufferable collaboration with Timbaland and with an opening slot for Maroon 5). With rumours circulating that their fourth full-length album, The Black and White Album (scheduled for an October 9 release), would feature more Timbaland, as well as Pharrell and Justin Timberlake, it's really up in the air as to what we can expect. However, "Tick Tick Boom" shows the band aren't ready to drop bombs on listeners with their first single. In fact, the song couldn't be any more of a devolution for the Hives; so similar does it sound to their past hits that it really should have been titled "Hate To Say I Told You Walk Main Offender, Walk." Add to that some explosions and I'm even less impressed. The good news for them is they've at least sold the song to Nike for the "Finish Line" campaign, so someone's at least buying their music. Here's to hoping my inkling for the rest of the album is way off, because the disappointment of not hearing the Kraftwerk influence on their last album still looms...
The Hives "Tick Tick Boom"
The Hives selling shoes
The Hives "Tick Tick Boom"
The Hives selling shoes