It’s been four years since their debut album Days Are Gone and now Haim are back with their sophomore effort and our album of the month, Something to Tell You. Recorded with the help of Rostam Batmanglij, formerly of Vampire Weekend, and their longtime collaborator Ariel Rechtshaid, the retro influences that we loved on the last album are still there, as are the killer hooks and catchy guitar riffs, but you can tell the trio has been working on honing their sound.
Whilst Something To Tell You has the same energy and enthusiasm as the first record, it’s less overly sunny, lyrically drawing on themes of love and loneliness. ‘Right Now’, with its layered melodies and blended vocals, encompasses what the album is all about, and highlights how bloody talented the sisters are (check out the Paul Thomas Anderson vid to see them in action). Haim aren’t afraid to stretch beyond their signature indie-folky sound – they move from 80s rock on ‘Nothing’s Wrong’ to the more poppy ‘Little Of Your Love’ to stomping blues on ‘Kept Me Crying’ before finishing up with the surprisingly raw and emotional ‘Night So Long’, although they haven’t lost those three part harmonies along the way.
Haim have definitely gone bigger on Something To Tell You, which is no bad thing at all. Prepare to be hearing this all summer long.