'Days Are Gone' by HAIM

Days Are Gone;

by HAIM

Release date: 27th September 2013

Tracklist: Falling / Forever / The Wire / If I Could Change Your Mind / Honey & I / Don't Save Me / Days Are Gone / My Song 5 / Go Slow / Let Me Go / Running If You Call My Name / Send Me Down / Edge //

I'm very late to join the HAIM bandwagon, but it's better late than never. I recently started listening to them as I came across their video for their track Falling; and then started falling into the abyss of YouTube and through the rest of their videos. If you haven't seen the video for Falling I highly recommend it (and you can watch it below), it's one of the best pop videos I've seen recently - especially with the trend of living-in-the-wild, doing-it-for-yourself: 'and I'll never look back, just hold your head up / and if it gets rough it's time to get rough'. They illustrate powerful everyday women in the best un-sexualised, and uncommercialised way - another of their videos (Don't Save Me) portrays them playing and beating an all-male basketball team.

After loving their videos, their album easily became my go-to album. No one is unheard is HAIM, their leveling between instruments is awesome and they all play a part within the band. The bassist isn't overlooked, she easily holds her own in so many occasions, just as the drummer does. HAIM is the best definition of team-work in a band when it comes to each part having a say when they're playing.

My Song 5 is currently my favourite song on the album, the guitar has this lush distorted tone to pair the bassline; it's the track that I always choose if I'm not listening to the album all the way through. The basslines are something I'll keep coming back to, because it's not often that bassists are known within bands, and although they're equally sounded within their work, Este Haim is a solid bassist that has some great bass lines that add to the melody as much as they support the harmony.

Days Are Gone is a brilliant album and one that should be recognised much more highly. They are great instrumentalists and have awesome videos, what's not to love?