THE HIVES
The Black and White Album: A-

''Sonically they've tweaked their punk-pop vibe, even employing the hip-hop-flavored Pharrell Williams for one cut. Happily, that gambit — the danceable ''T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.'' — pays off. For devotees of neo-Nuggets psychedelia, meanwhile, the stomp remains the same on the snap-happy ''You Dress Up for Armageddon'' — and the explosive ''Tick Tick Boom'' shows there's ample vroom left on this garage-rock bus.'' —Ben Spier

Hear music from The Black and White Album on the Hives' MySpace page