There was no “discovery” process and no Justin Bieber-esque thrust into the spotlight - just old-fashioned hard work that slowly brought recognition to a talented band. over the course of 2012 culminating in the official release of its debut album, Days Are Gone. Theirs was a lifestyle revolving around music, but unlike many frantic, fame-motivated artists, Haim took things slow quietly releasing of a couple of singles and an E.P.
They eventually came back together and formed the core of the band that bears their surname. While the sisters went through school, they retained their interest in music, and each sister held various roles in a variety of local bands. Haim is comprised of Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, a trio of sisters whose Southern California upbringing and debut album evokes images of shredding pavement and washing down long recording days with a vegan smoothie in one hand and a Corona in the other.īorn and raised in the San Fernando Valley, the sisters grew up as part of a musical unit, as their parents headed a family band that played covers at local fairs.
But the Haim sisters quietly break that trend with their debut album Days Are Gone, appealing to a burgeoning pop crowd without sacrificing a laid-back, LA surfer-sourced sound. With much of the new pop music produced either blending into ubiquitous obscurity or hitting high marks through media promotion, it can be hard to find refreshingly original music that makes it big.
Let’s hope they don’t all get married and perky for album number 2.Sounds Like: LA pop band meets Fleetwood Mac Days Are Gone is smart, funny, sexy, and musically tight. Stay on the surface for some funky background music perfect for a daydream montage, listen closely with a bottle of wine for a post-bad date wind down. Singing along with girls’ token video snarl of course. My second highlight is ‘ The Wire’ dirty guitars laden with 70’s Cally sound, you can almost taste the smoke and beer as your hips begin wind along to the beat. ‘ Honey and I’ begins with a chilled reggae guitar riff perfectly suited to sitting around a beach bonfire, and eventually builds to a kind of Stevie Nicks in ‘ Rhiannon’ crescendo, waves of vocals crashing toward your ears like the most melodic bitch-slaps you can get. Given it’s upbeat chime, it’s really quite tongue in cheek, and very smart.Īlbum highlights come in two places for me. For example, biggest hit so far ‘ Don’t Save Me’ when given a closer listening is a bitter retort to guys trying to go all fairy tale Prince Charming on her – she’s not having it. She speaks of heartbreak and stubbornness in love very honestly, subject matters almost hidden by the gorgeous gloss of the sound. Lead singer Danielle Haim’s vocals are gravely rough in contrast to the dreamy vocal wall upon which they’re laid. The words are ballsy, bitter at times, heavily emotional and quite poetically beautiful. And then I picked up on some of the lyrics…that’s when I realised there’s so much more to this album than I ever initially thought. Happily I danced around the house singing along, genuinely enjoying such aural delights. On first listen, I was captivated by gorgeous harmonies, disco tangy guitars and seriously slick production. Soo…does the first drop live up to the hype…
Needless to say, the band have been super hyped, earning the top spot in BBC radio’s Sound of 2013 at the top of year off one single.
Following a successful Summer festy schedule, including a Pyramid Stage slot at Glasto, they have just released their debut album Days Are Gone. As we all most likely know by now, Haim are a gorgeous California all-girl rock/pop three-piece, made up of sisters Danielle, Alana and Este Haim.