New Releases: The Hives Lay Out The Black And White

As I type this, I'm surrounded by fog. It's a very gray day, which oddly reminds me of the CD release schedule for the remaining weeks of the year: bleak. There are but a few new records coming out between now and the end of the year (which is to say, not live, Christmas or hits releases), but a couple will hit shelves on Tuesday.

The biggest name in the pack is a name that was bigger about five years ago. The Hives used to be known for their bombastic live performances and Howlin' Pelle Almqvist's consistent proclamations that the Swedish quintet were the best band on Earth. That hasn't really changed, but the group's inconsistent release schedule and long touring absences have cooled their buzz status to a mere hum. The Black And White Album is their latest, and it's out this week. It remains to be seen whether it will finally elevate them above novelty status. Though, frankly, we're pretty sure they're happy right where they are.

The Killers had more B-sides than they knew what to do with after finishing Sam's Town, but, luckily for fans, they're not one of those bands who favour keeping those tracks under wraps for all time. Nope, they're releasing a disc full of the leftovers on Tuesday, entitled Sawdust. I suppose it's worth mentioning that The Killers are also big on something else that might be tied to this release, and that's dollar bills. But hey, who isn't?

Finally this week, Celine Dion is back! Rejoice! Taking Chances is full of the balladry that Dion is known for and — wait, who am I kidding, nobody reading this likes Dion. In fact, so confident am I of this fact, that I would like to recommend Carl Wilson's upcoming 33 1/3 series book, Let's Talk About Love, which examines the Dion phenomenon and bad taste in general. It's about time, seriously.