Haim – Days Are Gone (2xLP, 45RPM)

Haim’s debut album Days Are Gone is bright, sharp and instantly appealing, bringing together polished pop-rock, 80s soft rock, R&B touches and a breezy West Coast confidence without sounding forced. Songs like “Falling,” “Forever,” “The Wire” and “If I Could Change Your Mind” have the kind of clean, hook-heavy songwriting that feels familiar on first listen but still has enough personality to avoid sounding generic.

What makes the record work so well is how naturally Haim balance gloss and musicianship. The production is sleek and modern, but the songs still feel played rather than manufactured, with tight rhythms, stacked vocals and Danielle Haim’s clipped, expressive delivery giving the album its own character. Days Are Gone is a confident, highly enjoyable debut: stylish, melodic and full of songs that helped define Haim’s place between indie rock, pop and classic FM radio influences.

Reviews

“Haim’s impeccably crafted mix of influences—soft rock’s incandescent glow, R&B’s sensuality, the spiky-yet-polished effervescence of pop-rock—come together seamlessly” – Pitchfork

“Days Are Gone sounds genuinely guileless and uncomplicated.” – The Guardian

“HAIM’s debut, Days Are Gone, is an impeccably crafted fusion of late-’80s and ’90s pop influences.” – Slant Magazine

,,... this is pop ... full of amazing voices, harmonies, guitars and rhythms, full of songs that rarely end the way they started..." (Rolling Stone, October 2013)