Haim - Days Are Gone (04/11/2013)
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the three longhaired sisters that make up Haim have created quite a buzz since the release of their EP Forever in July of last year.
Having toured with big bands such as Mumford & Sons, and performed at festivals including South by Southwest and the London iTunes festival, there has been an understandable buildup of hype about their debut album Days Are Gone.
With such high expectations there has been considerable pressure on Haim to deliver a memorable album; happily for all, Days Are Gone is truly an impressive album that justifies all the hype surrounding the band.
Featuring a wide palette of musical influences, from 80s soft rock to 90s R&B and 2000s indie rock, Days Are Gone showcases Haim’s refreshingly unique sound.
Standout tracks include opening track ‘Falling’, a powerful jam that features a prominent drumbeat and bassline that instinctively makes you to want to dance. ‘Don’t Save Me’, the album’s catchiest song, is pop rock at its very best while ‘My Song 5’ is perhaps the album’s most experimental, a hip-hop influenced composition featuring a confident vocal delivery and bursts of guitar.
Haim have often cited Destiny’s Child as a musical inspiration and on ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ R&B influences are clearly evident, alongside a catchy chorus that you won’t be able to get out of your head. The slower paced ‘Let Me Go’ consists of a soaring chorus reminiscent of Helen Reddy’s cry of freedom in ‘I Am Woman’.
What comes across watching Haim perform live is the pure joy the three sisters have playing music, and throughout Days Are Gone this passion for music comes clearly across, as does their determination to deliver a powerful and enjoyable first album.
It’s all too easy for the image of a band to overshadow their actual ability, but the simple fact is that Haim are great musicians and if Days Are Gone is anything to go by, Haim certainly have a huge future ahead of them.
Benjamin Nour
Having toured with big bands such as Mumford & Sons, and performed at festivals including South by Southwest and the London iTunes festival, there has been an understandable buildup of hype about their debut album Days Are Gone.
With such high expectations there has been considerable pressure on Haim to deliver a memorable album; happily for all, Days Are Gone is truly an impressive album that justifies all the hype surrounding the band.
Featuring a wide palette of musical influences, from 80s soft rock to 90s R&B and 2000s indie rock, Days Are Gone showcases Haim’s refreshingly unique sound.
Standout tracks include opening track ‘Falling’, a powerful jam that features a prominent drumbeat and bassline that instinctively makes you to want to dance. ‘Don’t Save Me’, the album’s catchiest song, is pop rock at its very best while ‘My Song 5’ is perhaps the album’s most experimental, a hip-hop influenced composition featuring a confident vocal delivery and bursts of guitar.
Haim have often cited Destiny’s Child as a musical inspiration and on ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ R&B influences are clearly evident, alongside a catchy chorus that you won’t be able to get out of your head. The slower paced ‘Let Me Go’ consists of a soaring chorus reminiscent of Helen Reddy’s cry of freedom in ‘I Am Woman’.
What comes across watching Haim perform live is the pure joy the three sisters have playing music, and throughout Days Are Gone this passion for music comes clearly across, as does their determination to deliver a powerful and enjoyable first album.
It’s all too easy for the image of a band to overshadow their actual ability, but the simple fact is that Haim are great musicians and if Days Are Gone is anything to go by, Haim certainly have a huge future ahead of them.
Benjamin Nour