Five years since their last full-length album, “Women in Music, Pt. III,” Los Angeles-based, indie rock trio HAIM, has made a powerful comeback. Consisting of sisters Este (bass guitar), Danielle (lead vocals/lead guitar/drums), and Alana (rhythm guitar/percussion) HAIM, the trio returned this past summer with their fourth album.
Titled “I quit” (a nod to the line chanted by a character in the film “That Thing You Do!”), this album contemplates themes of newfound independence after leaving a complex relationship. Many of the featured songs evoke a multitude of feelings after “quitting” different hardships, from troubled relationships to traumatic experiences of pain and rage. After discovering this band from their features on other songs (such as Taylor Swift’s “no body, no crime”), I marked June 20 on my calendar for the album’s release. When the day finally came, it’s safe to say that the album was worth the wait.
A good number of the songs on the album have diverse sounds that range from hard rock to folk. The album opens with one of my favorite tracks, “Gone”: an empowering, gritty song that samples George Michael’s hit “Freedom! ’90.” Accompanying lyrics with bold guitar and drum solos, it powerfully speaks on newfound post-breakup independence.
The third track and lead single “Relationships” provides a brutally honest perspective on the complexities and exhaustions of romantic love. Differing from the band’s usual rock sound, the song is reminiscent of ’90s pop and R&B, and its upbeat, breezy synths juxtapose candid lyrics with the frustrations of romantic relationships.
“Take me back” is a standout because of its softer tone and nostalgic themes. This somewhat folksy, guitar-driven tune mentions different anecdotes on the sisters’ youths and takes me back emotionally to a simpler time where I didn’t consider the complexities of adulthood and relationships. I can relate to the band’s nostalgia for the simpler moments before beginning a committed relationship.
HAIM’s folksy sound reappears in “The farm”: a slow, relaxing, country-infused track that reflects on the loneliness that comes with the solitude of ending a relationship. I could truly feel their depicted isolation of “quitting” their last romantic endeavor as I listened to these lyrics from the opening verse: “It’s been a long day drivin’/It’s been a hard couple years/And I left, left myself blinded/From all the tears.”
Another track that departs from their typical pop/rock sound is the wistful and hopeful song “Million years.” This track focuses on craving new love after ending a previous relationship. Throbbing, fast-paced synths play as Danielle croons, “I’ll know I’ll find you there/Even if it takes a million years … Our street is on no map/And I don’t know why it disappeared/But I’ll carry you on my back/Even if it takes a million years.” Listening to these touching lyrics, I felt HAIM’s same sense of longing for rediscovering love after a previous tumultuous relationship.
Although many of the tracks depart from HAIM’s typical Southern California pop/rock and R&B sound and lean toward synth pop, the album still contains plenty of tracks with their typical alt-rock vibe. Tracks such as “All over me,” “Down to be wrong,” “Everybody’s trying to figure me out,” and the closing “Now it’s time” center around angstier themes, the last of which comes full circle with the use of a sample akin to the first track on the album They respectively focus on continued physical desire for others, the courage to prioritize yourself, the unease of feeling you’re “inside of everyone’s thoughts,” and a feeling of closure after mustering the courage to “quit.”
Another thing I want to highlight about this album is not only the diversity of musical genres on the album and the themes they evoke but also the alternation of lead singers across varying songs.
Alana takes over lead vocals in the upbeat track “Spinning,” a track featuring lively synths reminiscent of disco music over a thumping bassline. It focuses on the dizzying feeling of confusion and hesitation that comes with rediscovering love. I could sense these feelings and I enjoyed hearing Alana’s high-pitched lively voice shining through in this equally lively track.
Este sings lead in the saddening track, aptly named “Cry,” which revolves around the pain of mourning the loss of a previous relationship. The song’s pulsating sound adds to the touching and relatable lyrics about the lingering pain someone feels when remembering a former lover.
One song that particularly stands out is the bluesy, rock-infused “Blood on the street.” I enjoyed listening to all three sisters sing solo throughout the verses, as well as Danielle’s guitar solo. They fiercely and candidly sing of disagreeable partners in previous relationships, and I could sense their collective rage.
Overall, “I quit” is another successful release from HAIM. It features a diverse makeup of themes and sound throughout the album and yet, as with any songs in the band’s discography, the lyrical content remains steady across the different musical styles performed. This album will definitely compel me to quit any negative thoughts or experiences, and I will never quit my appreciation for this band.
