The coolest sisters are back! And I couldn’t be more thrilled! Haim are manifestation of Californian spirit, that old school cool one, not Katy Perry one. Stevie Nicks is their music advisor, for God’s sake, so it makes perfect sense that their swag is so unbothered by a curse of commerciality.
When Haim appeared couple of years ago, they offered something else. It was a version of pop we haven’t heard before. Upbeat, drum-saturated, non-cliche guitar-driven rhythms wrapped up into tasty little songs. They seduced everyone in the alternative pop sphere. They sounded like nothing else on the radio and their single Forever went on to become the ultimate indie summer hit. The girl introduced themselves singing about love, and according to their sophomore album, they have no desire to stop anytime soon.
The first promotional single Right Now was a little bit confusing (euphemism for a letdown), and I wasn’t sure whether it was due to the unplugged version they uploaded on YouTube, or due to the lack of recognizable crescendo. However, I am glad that the studio version sounds much better. I am also super happy that the second single Want You Back gives us everything that we want back from Haim - catchy melody, irresistible rhythm, corky lyrics and cool vibes. The video for the song might be my favorite one so far. The sisters look so spontaneous while performing a dope choreography on the streets of dusky Los Angeles.
The rest of the record is a satisfying dose of Haim awesomeness, although I would prefer it to be a little bit longer. In this case, quality was chosen over quantity and I applaud to that, especially in the streaming era where artists strive to overcompensate for the listener’s short attention span and streaming service’s unlimited music offers. Let’s go back to Haim. Little Of Your Love is everything any indie lover needs to infuse into his blood. It is especially suitable for everyone who is in some sort of hot and hold relationship. Title track is an unconventional ballade and it represents the slightly changed direction the girls have taken with their sophomore. Kept Me Crying and Found It In Silence obtain that semi-country indie pop vibe, while Walking Away brings out whispery, smooth element in Haim’s music.
Haim have something to tell you, and it is totally worth hearing it.
