The Hives are all, like, “hey come and listen to our new record Lex Hives!”

Travis SchneiderSweden’s premiere garage rock band and really, one of the few from anywhere who’ve outlived that so-called movement of the early part of this century with their fanbase intact – we’re talking about The Hives, in case that was unclear – are back with their fifth album and first in five years next Tuesday with Lex Hives. And while some bands might be taken to task for sticking to tried and true formulas at this point in their career, that’s pretty much exactly what folks want from The Hives – more loud and tuneful, stylish yet snotty old-school rock’n’roll – and that’s what Lex Hives delivers. All is right with the world.

The album is now up to stream in its entirety ahead of its release – plus bonus tracks at RCRDLBL and Rolling Stone – and there’s plenty of features on the band to leaf through (figuratively speaking) while you read. Frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist talked to MusicOhm, DIY, and The Guardian, Guitar World catches up with guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem, The New Yorker sends an 11-year old to interview them on their behalf and Paste has video annotations of the entire album from the band.

Their North American tour kicks off later this month and they’re at The Sound Academy in Toronto on June 26.

Video: The Hives – “Go Right Ahead”
Stream: The Hives – “Insane”
Stream: The Hives – “High School Shuffle”
Stream: The Hives / Lex Hives

Also here from Sweden on June 5 is the self-titled debut from Amanda Mair; she’s just released a new video from the record.

Video: Amanda Mair – “House”

M83 have finally released a second video from their breakout Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming and it stars the creepy psychic kids from the first one. Hooray! They’re back in town on August 4 at Historic Fort York.

Video: M83 – “Reunion”

Bloc Party have announced via Kele Okereke’s blog that their fourth album is complete and will be out August 20 under the title Four. Hopefully this little play on words works out better musically than The Verve’s Forth did a few years ago. Hear the first new Bloc Party music in ages via the album trailer, which I guess I should accept is now officially a thing.

Trailer: Bloc Party / Four

NME talks to Gareth Paisey of Los Campesinos! about the non-album track they decided to give away as a free download this week.

MP3: Los Campesinos! – “Tiptoe Through The True Bits”

The first MP3 from Micachu & The Shapes’ forthcoming second album Never is available to download. The album is out July 24.

MP3: Micachu & The Shapes – “OK”

Spin finds out what’s on Laura Marling’s mind lately. Death, apparently. She’s at The Phoenix on June 17.

English singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich is at The Rivoli on December 6, tickets $15 in advance.

Video: Benjamin Francis Leftwich – “Pictures”

If for some reason you’ve never heard David Bowie’s seminal The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, you can rectify that right now as NME is streaming the 40th anniversary remastered edition in its entirety, not that you’d likely be able to appreciate the remastering via a Soundcloud stream. But you can appreciate a classic album, so hop to it anyways.

Stream: David Bowie / The Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust

The release date of Ladyhawke’s second album Anxiety has been something of a moving target, but it finally came out in North America this week and is available to stream over at Spinner. The Independent, The Herald Sun, and Vulture have interviews with Pip Browne and Nylon has an acoustic version of the single “Sunday Drive” available to download. I could point out those keyboards aren’t really acoustic, but I won’t.

MP3: Ladyhawke – “Sunday Drive” (acoustic)
Stream: Ladyhawke / Anxiety