A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T [EP]

The Hives | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: EP
• Label: Burning Heart
• ASIN: B0003JAJ2M
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #594,058 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T

2. Outsmarted

3. Untutored Youth

4. Fever

5. Mad Man

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I-D-I-O-T!, November 7, 2004

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T (Audio CD)

They may get a lot of bad press for their popularity, but the Hives rock. Literally. These Swedish rockers tinge their frenetic songs with bits of punk from the musical heydeys of the Stooges, including in the roaring six-song EP "Aka I-D-I-O-T."

Several songs are from their smash hit "Veni Vidi Vicious," and from "Your New Favorite Band" and "Barely Legal": the catchy yet wild "Aka I-D-I-O-T," and the fast-paced "Outsmarted," the almost manic punk-rocker "Untutored Youth," and the slow grind of guitars building up to the howling "Mad Man." Then there are a couple of other songs in the mix, like the good-but-not-great "Fever" and lo-fi roar of "Numbers."

No whines about how their girlfriends left them. While the punk rebellions were long ago, the Hives seem to be trying to revive the spirit of them. Their songs positively seethe with a sense of sneering revolution, and it's pretty refreshing. But they do include a sense of ironic polish, such as the spoken part about how "I extend my middle right hand digit" -- aka, flipping the bird.

"OUTSMARTED... I'm selling you for scrap!" Pelle snarls, before telling us that "we are the untutored youth!" Speaking of which, Howlin' Pelle Almqvist lives up to the "howlin'" part of his name. He has a raw, energetic singing style; sometimes he sounds like his vocal chords are about to rip themselves apart, especially with the hurricane of percussion, bass and guitar behind him.

"Aka I-D-I-O-T" is a fun, roiling piece of modern rock with a gritty garage edge. Definitely a good introduction to the Hives, and a good EP for those who are already fans.