Even the lesser tunes, вЂњMy Song 5,вЂќ вЂњLet Me Go,вЂќ and the closer, вЂњRunning if You Call My NameвЂќ are not without their virtues. The first seven cuts are a nearly flawless string of what I can only describe as pop music heroin a collection that most bands would be proud to call their greatest hits. HereвЂ™s the thing though, from the first note of this album, haters are going to find themselves faced with a very inconvenient truth: Days Are Gone is a hugely satisfying collection of songs. Anyway, thereвЂ™s a lot of good excuses for anyone with sensible taste to write them off. This is just one reason I had a hard time coping with this record (they also toured with Mumford and Sons). WeвЂ™re supposed to be intrigued that theyвЂ™re a female Jackson 5, except thereвЂs only three of them and they play indie rock. In HaimвЂ™s case, itвЂ™s that theyвЂ™re a group of hot sisters, just on the legal side of puberty. The sort of thing groups do when they have some bullshit image theyвЂre trying to manufacture. Could have been the management, the record label, maybe. He certainly rarely turns up in any of their promotional materialВ (however, we are supporting him up above). With the triumvirate of googly-eyed rhythms, sinfully catchy melodies and a breeziness that seems only fitting, theyвЂ™ve served up one of the most auspicious debuts of the year.The only time youвЂ™ll ever see HaimвЂ™s drummer, Dash Hutton, is when theyвЂ™re performing ( theyвЂ™re not that great live). For band who released their first single less than 12 months ago, Days Are Gone is a sizable accomplishment. The most exciting thing about HaimвЂ™s sound is the number of potential direction they can take it from here. In the best-case scenario, as found on the irresistible вЂњDonвЂ™t Save MeвЂќ or the nimble single вЂњThe Wire,вЂќ there are modestly incisive rundowns of love lost. The repeated chant of вЂњNever look back/Never give upвЂќ on icebreaker вЂњFallingвЂќ drives this point home quite well, along with crisp percussion and a metric ton of reverb gloss. If you need a little motivation, however, Haim have you covered. Then again, if youвЂ™ve come to this album looking for life advice, youвЂ™re in the wrong place. If Days Are Gone has a weak spot, itвЂ™s most definitely found in the lyrics.

вЂњMy Song 5вЂќ brings Sleigh Bells levels of compression, while the titanium pulse of вЂњLet Me GoвЂќ is both confrontational and entrancing. Danielle sounds like any one of Stevie Nicks, Fiona Apple and Victoria Legrande, but her heavy use of staccato inflections lends an electrifying R&B wiggle to вЂњForeverвЂќ and вЂњIf I Could Change Your Mind.вЂќ When they do mix it up sonically, all of their affable qualities translate. While the production values are somewhat standardized, the album finds diversity by way of sundry rhythms and sharp vocal work. In other words, the kind of music that inspires honest-to-goodness excitement.ДЄnd if you like the Haim songs youвЂ™ve already heard, youвЂ™ll probably like the rest of them. The melodies are instinctive and effortless, the lyrics undemanding, and the production (courtesy of Ariel Rechtshaid and James Ford) is shiny and modern. Much of the appeal of Days Are Gone lies in the simplicity of its sometimes pop/sometimes rock songs. Instead, itвЂ™s so steady-handed, so influentially diverse, and so ludicrously enjoyable that you really should really do some soul searching if it doesnвЂ™t do something for you. Their debut album, Days Are Gone, avoids taking the path of least resistance, a path that can permanently hamper a buzz bandвЂ™s outlook. They also have everything they need to be earmarked as a buzz band: musical ability, charisma, sex appeal, an appropriate swagger level, oodles of personality, and fistfuls of hooks.Д«ut singer/guitarist Danielle, bassist Este, guitarist/keyboardist Alana Haim and drummer Dash Hutton are something more than just amalgamators. Their sound can find a kindred spirit in every decade since pop music has come into existence. This isnвЂ™t lost on California sister act Haim ( HIGH-yim). Combining existing sounds in different ways can be nearly as exciting as finding new ones.

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