Haim : I quit
On the opening track of I quit, Danielle Haim triumphantly sings, “I’ll be whatever I need” before declaring she’s finally free. “Gone” is a strong beginning to the sisters’ manifesto of letting go, and quitting what doesn’t serve them. They begin their fourth album with a warning: leave what you don’t need behind, follow them this way for 15 tracks of fleeing the constraints of what hold you back.
Throughout I quit, Haim build upon the shimmery Laurel Canyon sound that was sprinkled throughout much of their previous album Women in Music Pt III. It’s a sound that’s rooted in their time growing up in Los Angeles but one that’s rich with Haim’s own modern influences; tracks like “All Over Me” and “Down To Be Wrong” are akin to Sheryl Crow’s brand of folk rock, while the haziness of washed out guitars on “Lucky stars” brings to mind late ’90s and early ‘00s indie rock bands like Built to Spill. There are also splashes of sunshine-flecked pop within the album, like “Spinning” which features Alana Haim on lead vocals and a funky intertwining of bass and synths.
While Women in Music Pt III found Haim diving into their love of rock, I quit is a deeper exploration of their approach to the genre. They effortlessly fuse stripped down, raw vocals from all of the sisters with velvety drums that come to a head with Danielle’s most soulful guitar solo of the album on “Blood on the street.” A highlight of the album, it’s a guttural moment of catharsis, almost veering into a blues ballad. Each sister has a verse, putting their most raw feelings on the table, its thesis lying in Este’s line, “And I can count on my one hand / all the times that you really made me feel free.”
Beyond the literal freedom Haim sings of throughout I quit, there’s a sense of freedom that’s palpable through many of the arrangements. On “Cry,” Este performs lead vocals, amidst Rilo Kiley-esque piano chords, unapologetically leaning into the release that crying brings. “Relationships” finds the band utilizing a danceable, bass heavy R&B sound that compliments Danielle’s velvety vocals. It feels like the most freeing track on I quit, as they say goodbye to the relentless drama of courtship.
I quit closes with “Now It’s Time,” a cleansing release of the past for the band, employing an electrified, booming drum beat to surround Danielle’s lush vocals. It plays into the heavy electric sound that encompassed much of their last album’s best tracks, like “The Steps” and “Now I’m In It.” Through a bold, energizing percussion heavy bridge, the band embodies the image of Nicole Kidman post divorce that served as the inspiration for the “Relationships” single album cover. Haim have once again proven that they’re one of the strongest rock bands right now, shedding what doesn’t work to create a heightened sound that finds them at their musical best.
Label: Columbia
Year: 2025
Similar albums:
Haim : I quit
Note: When you buy something through our affiliate links, Treble receives a commission. All albums we cover are chosen by our editors and contributors.
