Review: Haim - Days Are Gone

image: haimtheband.com

I first caught sight of this Californian trio of sisters back in early 2012 upon the release of their 'Forever' EP. Their new-age folk pop sound combined with 90's R&B beats, astounded me as it was like nothing I had ever heard before. The closest comparison I can make to these girls would have to be Fleetwood Mac, loosely that is (and that is no way a bad thing.) Anyway, their 70's meets 90's with a bit of 80's thrown in sound was an instant hit with me, tracks like 'Don't Save Me' and 'Falling' had an immediate infectiousness to them the minute I heard them. It is safe to say I was extremely excited to hear their album and it is finally here!

Just as I suspected this album is full of summer infused melodies embellished with lyrics of rocky relationships and heartbreak. However, their R&B influences have definitely become more apparent on this record, especially on tracks like 'If I Could Change Your Mind' and 'My Song 5.' This really is refreshing as it is not everyday you get a girl band that include all the elements of an indie three piece yet manage to sustain fragments of so many different genres and make it work so well. It is as if every song on the album is inspired by a different genre, yet they are all brought together with that underlying indie sound that we heard on the EP. 'Honey & I' for example, combines a variety of conventions of folk music, but has been transformed into an exceedingly high standard pop song. Tracks like 'Don't Save Me' and 'Days Are Gone' maintain their famed upbeat and joyous sound with a slight R&B resonance, especially on the latter. Whereas 'Go Slow' present their melodic strengths, with angelic harmonising and laid back drums, this track has to be one of their most admirable works for sure. Two stand out tracks for me however have to be 'The Wire' and 'Running If You Call My Name.' Two very different tracks. 'The Wire' boasting mostly guitars and an addictive drum beat that is impossible not to click your fingers to, not to mention the catchy chorus. 'Running If You Call My Name' on the other hand, culminates the album in a poignant and memorable way. The powerful vocals and infectious beat establish Haim as a very capable band who know exactly what they are doing musically. 

It is extremely impressive how these sisters manage to combine such a huge array of musical elements and genres into each and every one of their beautifully crafted tracks, but whatever they are doing, they are doing it well.

***

9/10

From the Ritz to the Rubble?

From this...

To this.

It was late 2005 when the Arctic Monkeys burst out of High Green with their first single since signing with Domino, 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor.' That was the song that defined a generation, that was the song that became basically everyone's childhood theme tune, that was the song that still gets people dancing at 18ths all over the country no matter what walk of life you may have come from. Then came the album, full of teenage tales of drinking cider in parks and getting thrown out of clubs weekend after weekend. It was as if the Arctic Monkeys came as a refreshing break from the over produced bands, bands that they provided a much needed antidote for. This band famed themselves on not being 'famous' and this is why we loved them. However, in recent years, the Arctic Monkeys have taken a blatant turn, whether it be for better or for worse, they are worlds apart from the spotty teenage lads they once were, ranting about wannabes and dodgy parts of town.

'Favourite Worst Nightmare' didn't come as much of a surprise. The girtty lyrics of 'flicking through a little book of sex tips' and 'running off over next doors garden' still remained along with fast paced guitars and catchy riffs. However, a new side to the band was shown, especially on tracks like '505' and 'Only Ones Who Know.' Nothing drastic though, just a mature and grown up edge to their music that they once lacked in their earlier EPs and of course 'Whatever People Say I am, That's What I'm Not.' 'Favourite Worst Nightmare' still strikes me as some of their most credible work to date, especially tracks like 'Do Me A Favour' and 'If You Were There Beware.'

A long two years went by until the Arctic Monkeys released their third studio album, 'Humbug.' That large chunk of time the boys deprived of us new material came as a catalyst for a total revamp of the Arctic Monkeys. Not only had Turner's hair got slightly bigger but the sound of the Arctic Monkeys as we knew them had completely changed. They sounded even maturer and much like a product of their influences rather than the odd-balls in a world of musical clones they once were which could simply have been a result of the input Josh Homme had on this album, or maybe Miles Kane influenced Turner during his time working on side project, Last Shadow Puppets.

Although the bands image and musical style had undergone a slight refurbishment, the Arctic Monkeys had definitely not lost their mojo. In my opinion, 'Humbug' is neither better nor worse than either of it's predecessors but it definitely did showcase the bands musical range and if anything, it made me eager to hear the next chapter in the Arctic Monkeys' story. That chapter came in the form of well received fourth album, 'Suck It And See.' The Arctic Monkeys had adopted a vintage, almost sixties style to their music on this record, heavily apparent on tracks like 'Black Treacle' and 'Piledriver Waltz.' This album was definitely the turning point for the Arctic Monkeys. 'Humbug' was like the warm up for what was to come. Now tracks like 'A Certain Romance' and 'Mardy Bum' sound like they could be the work of an entirely different band.

It has now been 2 weeks since the release of AM, the 5th helping of Turner, Helders, Cook and O'Malley and it is safe to say that the Arctic Monkeys have changed their sound yet again. A much more rock'n'roll vibe has been adopted on this record but it seems as though they have lost their sense of attack. Alright, 'Arabella' has some pretty heavy riffs, but its no 'View From the Afternoon.' The album is certainly not a bad effort but I feel like it's passed its sell-by-date. It pains me to say this but the Arctic Monkeys are nowhere near as unpredictable and plain exciting as they were 6 or 7 years ago. AM was not a shock to the system, and neither was Turner's new rock star approach to everything. I mean, he even forgot the words to '505' at Itunes festival. The question is, have the Arctic Monkeys got too big for their boots despite not having much to boast?

Arctic Monkeys cover Drake's 'Hold on, We're Going Home'

I'm not going to lie, I am a closet Drake fan so when I found out about Alex and the boys covering his newest release I got a teensy bit excited. Just when you think you've heard it all ey. 

Despite not being the biggest fan of the new sound that the Arctic Monkeys have adopted on their new album, AM, the way they have transformed this tune into an old school rock'n'roll masterpiece is insane. This track would not sound out of place on their album and I absolutely love Alex's Elvis Presely/Embarrassing dad at a wedding impression. How can an individual make dad dancing look so fucking cool?

Introducing: Splashh

image: cheeseontoast.co.nz

This psychedelic four piece, formed in Hackney, have been making waves since early 2012, bagging critical acclaim from the likes of NME, The Guardian and BBC 6 Music. All members coming from different bands such as The Checks and Brain Slaves, the four of them have combined their talents to form a refreshing sound, screaming psychedelia in an old-meets-new fashion. Think Tame Impala with a hint of New Order, Maybe even throw in some Velvet Underground.

Their debut album 'Comfort' was released in the UK yesterday and I am exceedingly impressed. Tracks like 'All I Wanna Do' and 'Vacation' sound like ready made crowd pleasers as well as 'Need It' and 'Washed Up' which contain everything you would expect from a trippy psych-rock record.