Consumer Guide Album

The Hives: The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons [Fuga, 2023]
Spear carriers for the punk verities when they invaded from Sweden in 2002, this g-g-b-d lost a dollop of a certain something that might have been purity and might have been novelty on 2004 and 2007 follow-ups. Then they disappeared, supposedly because legendary songwriter Fitzsimmons had died but in fact because actual songwriter Nicholaus Arson was ailing. That Arson and his henchmen should return after 15 long years does inspire one to wonder how he was ailing, but never mind that, because while permitting themselves not the hint of a change of pace they make it their business to remain more or less catchy while never slowing down, almost as if "Rigor Mortis Radio" remained as much a lifestyle option as "hitting the weekend like a cake shot out of a gun" in a world of "a million boys in love with a dozen girls." B+