FamilyFans Music

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THE BLACK AND WHITE ALBUM

The Hives / A&M, Octones

Fan Appeal: Teens and young adults

Genre: Alternative

The Black and White Album from The Hives is an extremely upbeat CD that'll have you wanting to stand up and dance before the first song is even over.

This Swedish band has finally started to make their mark on the scene. This new album starts off strongly with the song “Tick Tick Boom,” and continues to drive all the way through to the last track. “Tick Tick Boom” is a rock anthem that urges others to follow behind, because they know what’s going on and everyone’s been hesitating for too long. Another good song is “Giddy Up.” This song urges to keep on going, even when times are hard, keep pushing and get back in the saddle.

While almost everything is great on this album, there are a few slips. One is that there are a few swear words, so I wouldn’t advise this CD to younger children. Also, the song “A Stroll Through Hive Manor Corridors” is sort of a waste, because it is a musical interlude that runs about 2 ½ minutes, and it’d be better off going only about 30 seconds. There are also a few breaks during songs that just confuse the listener because it seems like a new song just started with a bad song transition, but it’s really just a strange (creative) part of music.

Overall, though, I definitely enjoyed this CD. The Black and White album is a powerhouse, and on that's worth picking up.

FAMILYFANS RATING: A-

If members of your family like this CD, then you may want to try…

-Silent Alarm, Bloc Party, Alternative. This album thrills with new wave Brit-Pop style.

--TN

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