![]() ![]() There’s “Better Off,” the trancy B-side of the Forever single and the steamy, fizzy “Send Me Down,” the B-side from “Don’t Save Me,” which Consequence Of Sound astutely compared to everyone from Gloria Estefan to Abba upon its release in 2012. The second disc brings together all the odds and sods of the Days Are Gone era. The first disc is just the 11 tracks of the original release – complete, unaltered and unabridged. The 10th anniversary reissue of Days Are Gone offers the opportunity to appreciate a remarkable album all over again while still offering something for Haim obsessives, fanatics and completists. Jessie Ware and Arctic Monkeys and Jimmy Eat World wouldn’t be a terrible RIYL for Days Are Gone, especially if you could manage to work in some Prince plasticine funk and just a hint of Janelle Monae alt-R&B. Dance pop superstar Jessie Ware even gets a writing credit. When you pop the hood, it’s no great shock to learn that some of the many, many talents who worked on Days Are Gone have lent their talents to everyone from Jimmy Eat World to Trust to Arctic Monkeys, Blood Orange and Charli XCX. You can hear echoes of CHVRCHES, Lorde and Phoenix in the bright, polished pop rock, yet the Haim sisters aren’t afraid to get dirty and do their own thing, either, pulling out gritty, bruised guitar solos when the moment calls for it, like on “My Song 5,” or getting weird and experimental, like the dubby hall of mirror handclaps of “Honey & I.” It’s a truly delicious art pop statement, bursting with sweet, honeyed vocal exultations, as on “Go Slow” or “If I Could Change Your Mind,” and impossibly precise productions, with synthetic drums and bright, bold synths sounding as unblemished as a Jeff Koons sculpture. In some ways, the album is an immaculate time capsule of 2013, existing in the interzone between impeccable pop craftsmanship and indie underground attitude. It lays to rest any tired arguments about pop versus rock or artifice versus authenticity. You’re also far less likely to miss out on great music.ĭays Are Gone feels like one of poptimism’s principal shots over the bow. ![]() The quicker you lean into that reality, the happier you’ll be as a person. When you’re putting things out there into the world, there is almost always some sort of artifice at play. If that reality still bothers someone decades into the existence of social media, clearly they’ve been hiding their head in the sand. Ten years later, most of us will acknowledge the dozens of outtakes takes necessary to get that perfect casual candid shot. In 2013, culture may have collectively still been pretending that a pristine, curated online presence just happened. The image telegraphs effortless cool, yet the impeccable styling and overhead angle reveal a carefully coiffed and cultivated image. The three sisters are kicked back in a trio of lawn chairs, the very picture of suburban normalcy, but Danielle and Alana cut chic, striking figures in black leather jackets while all three appear impossibly cool in black shades. ![]() The instantly recognizable artwork depicts the Haim sisters, barely in their 20s at that point, looking impossibly casual against a backdrop of rich emerald green Southern California lawn. ![]() The cover of Days Are Gone, featuring a photograph of the three Haim sisters taken by Tom Beard, says a lot about the music that would shortly catapult the young Los Angeles trio into superstardom. ![]()
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