Something to Tell You from California Sun: Haim
Haim is a band of three sisters – Este Haim, Alana Haim, ve Danielle Haim -born and raised in the rural area of San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. Having played in a pop-rock band called Valli Girls in adolescent years, the oldest and middle sister started their own music project thinking “No one can understand us like we do.” Meanwhile, the youngest sister, Danielle, toured with Jenny Lewis. During the tour, Danielle managed to get Julian Casablancas’ attention who were there to listen to Lewis. Danielle began to accompany the young gentlemen from The Strokes in his solo performance. Having experienced the music industry from the doorstep, Danielle listened to Calablancas’ advice “to write stronger songs and focus on recording,” and returned to her sisters. This would be the beginning of Haim.
Having been the warm-up band at great concerts, the sisters spent everything they got to release a three-song EP called “Forever.” Having spread like wildfire, the band was first included in SXSW Festival, and then the British tour of Mumford & Sons and Florence + The Machine. A fan of holy lands, the band gave concerts at Glastonbury (for which they probably wouldn’t be able to find a ticket) long before they released an album. Having quickly climbed the ladder of success with their pop/soft rock songs, Haim’s album “Days Are Gone” was 100 times more than what they expected. Having topped the charts in the U.K., the band toured the world with one country after another. As the band stormed through the industry, everyone was asking the same question: “Will they be as successful with their second album?”
The time has come, and now the band has released it second studio album “Something to Tell You,” after a break of four years, under Polydor’s label earlier this month. It’s too early to tell what has become of them but I, as someone who “smells the air,” personally believe that they’re twice as professionals but the musical value is overshadowed by their debut album. The nice thing is that the sisters included songs they would want to play in the setting California sun.
Living in Abundance…
First things first – the album is close to perfection in terms of technical aspects such as backing track, mixing and mastering. Looking closer, you can see 17 different musicians besides the sisters who contribute to this album, which means that most instrument sound is achieved through recording. Similarly, we see more than 20 sound engineers who accompany the team of trustworthy producers including Ariel Rechtshaid, Rostam Batmanglij and Twin Shadow. That’s why it’s possible to say that the cornerstones of the album are in place.
Though we label this 11-track album as pop rock, I can assure you that it’s rich in sub-genres. The reason for this is that the sisters often feature classic elements from the ‘70s rock, ‘80s electronica and ‘90s R&B. Moreover, blues- and country- inspired riffs, 8-note piano solos, magical tunes from LinnDrum (also used by Prince), and the sisters’ vocal range make up the other assets of the album.
What’s Lacking…
Overall, the album doesn’t have parts that make it hard to listen or snap you away from the songs’ atmosphere. This may count as a success in terms of production, but the fact that the sisters remained in their comfort zone prevented the creating of a song what will resonate with you or a catchy chorus you’ll want to sing at the top of your longs. It’s only natural for a band that has seen the top so early in its career to take careful steps. But it also fails to show us how high Haim can go.
Must-Listen…
“Something to Tell You” – Not because it lends its name to the album, but because it’s the only song that sounds pop/rock.
“Kept Me Crying” I smell glam rock.
“Right Now” – A review of how high the sisters could go.
But still you need to listen all of them before to make any decision;