Pitchfork

Still at work on their Tyrannosaurus Hives follow-up, the Hives continue to dispatch endearingly arrogant little updates regarding the new album's progress.

Here's what we've learned since our last album report. First, the majority of the record, titled The Black and White Album, was recorded with producer Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) in Oxford, Mississippi. Second, they recorded with Pharrell in Miami after he met them in Japan and told them they should all record "something bass guitar based."

The record will also feature the first recordings the band made in their new house in Sweden, Hive Manor. Jacknife Lee (in London) and Tomas Oberg (from Swedish band Bob Hund) also lent their skills behind the boards.

With so many producers and locations, you'd think the Hives would be ready to release the freakin' record already, but frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist explains what's taking the band so long in a recent press release: "At this time, we have a lot of songs. In the past, we only had what was on each album. We ask you to bare [sic... or is it? --Ed.] with us as we take the time to wrestle this onto an album. An album of inhuman proportions called The Black and White Album."

In other Hives news, they made it into a Finish Line/Nike+ commercial with one of their new tunes, "Tick, Tick, Boom". You can see the spot below.

The Hives are also touring this summer before they hit the road with Maroon 5 in the fall (still funny!). Their next date is in their home country on August 10.

 

Breakout:

08-10 Gothenburg, Sweden - Way Out West Festival
08-11 Budapest, Hungary - Sziget Festival
08-17 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop Festival
08-24 Paris, France - Rock en Seine
08-25 Ludinghausen, Germany - Area 4
08-26 Hamburg, Germany - T-Mobile Festival
09-29 Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills *
09-30 Chicago, IL - Metro
10-01 Saint Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center *
10-02 Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena *
10-04 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre *
10-05 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena *
10-07 Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena *
10-08 Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena *
10-10 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden *
10-12 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun *
10-13 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center *
10-15 Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden *
10-16 Washington, DC - Verizon Center *
10-18 Columbia, SC - Colonial Center *
10-20 Sunrise, FL - Bank Atlantic Center *
10-21 St. Petersburg, FL - St. Pete Times Forum *
10-23 Orlando, FL - Amway Arena *
10-24 Duluth, GA - Gwinett Civic Center *
10-26 Houston, TX - Toyota Center *
10-27 Fort Worth, TX - Convention Center *
10-29 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center *
10-31 Salt Lake City, UT - Energy Solutions Arena *
11-02 Portland, OR - Memorial Coliseum *
11-03 Vancouver, British Columbia - Pacific Coliseum *
11-05 Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena *
11-06 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion *
11-08 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center *
11-09 San Diego, CA - Cox Arena *
11-10 Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl *

* with Maroon 5