Californian indie-rock band Haim release their debut album Days Are Gone off the back of playing Glastonbury not once, but three times, and a torrent of positive reviews from critics and the wider music fraternity. It may have been the unusually hot weather that helped, but whatever the case sisters Este, Danielle and Alana (with the help of touring drummer Dash Hutton) have quickly established themselves as the sound of the Summer and the band of the moment, at least in the United States.
Opening track Falling sets the tone for the album with its breezy, summer drenched, care free music fused with R&B influences. Second song Forever belongs to the drums, featuring heavily here, combined with more rhythm and blues on the fringe. If I Could Change Your Mind is the perfect Summer road trip song, starting slowly but building into a beautiful, finger clicking, care-free tune with a signature Haim bassline. Title track Days Are Gone (co written by Jessie Ware) takes the album in a different direction, adding a new edge. The guitars are peeled back allowing for a more electro/funk feel, Alana taking over vocal duties this time round. My Song 5 stands out completely from the rest of the album, with a grittier, darker, sexier edge, Haim at their most f**k you yet. Let Me Go is a close to an anthem song as Haim have got in their arsenal. Starting fast and continuing that pace for the duration, the song again displays a fiercer side to the band, without veering astray from the feel of previous songs. Running If You Call My Name is a huge track dealing with post break up heartache. Power drums and a huge melody make it the most intimate track on the album, a suitable outro tune, giving us a glimpse into the emotions of this Jewish trio.
The album as a whole is perfect Summer belter, ironically released just as Summer was ending. Breezy, care free and pop in parts, but, when combined with R&B it lifts it out of the clichéd Summer pop category and elevates it into a funkier, altogether more credible league. Some will love it, others might hate it, but if you are looking for a record which makes you feel like you are driving an open top car through Beverly Hills with your best mates, then this is it. Oh, and just so you know the band name is pronounced High-im, with a second syllable hop at the end, just in case you are having an argument down the pub!