The Hives - Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons (180gm LP)

The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (180gm LP) sees The Hives return with a record that doubles down on their core thesis: rock music as precision-engineered urgency. Drawing from the stripped-back aggression of The Stooges and the sharp-edged revivalism of late-90s garage rock, the album is built on clipped, staccato riffs, hyper-tight rhythm sections, and an almost metronomic sense of attack. There’s no looseness here—every track is calibrated for impact, with guitars that jab rather than wash and arrangements that prioritise momentum over expansion. Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s vocal remains a defining instrument: theatrical, commanding, and deliberately exaggerated, turning each song into a performance rather than a confession. Culturally, the record doesn’t attempt reinvention; instead, it reasserts the viability of garage rock as a controlled, high-energy form. Proving that limitation—short songs, simple structures, relentless tempo—can still function as a creative strength when executed with this level of intent and identity.

Tracklist

SIDE A

1. Bogus Operandi
2. Trapdoor Solution
3. Countdown To Shutdown
4. Rigor Mortis Radio
5. Stick Up
6. Smoke & Mirrors

SIDE B

1. Crash Into The Weekend
2. Two Kinds Of Trouble
3. The Way The Story Goes
4. The Bomb
5. What Did I Ever Do To You?
6. Step Out Of The Way