HAIM bares their soul on ‘I quit’
Danielle, Este and Alana Haim have enticed listeners back into their post-breakup world in their fourth album I quit on June 20. The sisters explore the intricacies of ending a relationship – the anger, pain, guilt, joy, confusion and hope for the future – over the course of 15 tracks.
The album opens and closes with samples from George Michael and U2 respectively, giving insight into where inspiration was drawn and how the music was shaped. It also embraces a mellow-driven soundscape that allows the technical musicality of the trio to shine through.
“Down to be wrong” opens with Danielle Haim’s honeyed voice exploring its lower register. The combination of electric guitar, tom drums and cymbals bring in certain folk elements that lends a hand to the storytelling in the song. The only time the song opens up is in the refrain, keeping it a low-key melody that encourages listeners to lean in closer and listen to Danielle’s words.
The next track, “Take me back,” contracts the song before it by opening with a bright acoustic guitar, similar to something heard in a 90s or early 2000s rom-com. The upbeat instrumentation is juxtaposed with reflective and sentimental lyrics that look back on past friendships and relationships. The constant call of “take me back” in the backing vocals begins to sound almost pleading, living in the reverie of a past relationship.
“Was it fate or coincidence / that brought you into my life?” Danielle asks in mid-album tune “Lucky stars.” Light, airy vocals are complemented by slightly gritty guitars and cautiously optimistic lyrics. In what I would consider a breakup album, this song offers a reprieve and shows the growth and new connections that could come out of the end of a relationship.
“Blood on the street” immediately sets itself apart by being set in 3/4 time – the same tempo as a waltz. Even though this time signature, when used in a waltz, requires dance partners to be close together, the Haim sisters are actively pulling away from their partner. This can be seen in the lyrics: “That you think this is still on the table / But when I don’t pick up my phone / It’s not because I am unable.”
I quit eases listeners into the new era with a smooth transition from previous album Women in Music Part III. HAIM have established themselves as being able to articulate internal conflicts, the confusion that comes with miscommunication and the pain that can come from someone you hold close. I quit is like venting with your friends over a bottle of white wine: feeling lighter both from the wine and releasing the heavy emotions off your chest.
