Haim are saying I Quit, but their fourth studio album gives fans all the more reason to stay by their side. The latest record from the Californian family band is a testament to giving up on what no longer serves you. Although it’s softer and more subdued than their previous efforts, this leaves all the more room to explode when needed, making for a powerful, eclectic collection of tunes exploring the process of moving on.
Nostalgia shimmers at the heart of I Quit. Its promotional campaign frequently referenced iconic paparazzi photos from the 2000s, from the Haim sisters recreating Nicole Kidman’s victory cheer after divorcing Tom Cruise, to Kate Moss bathing in the sunshine outside her black SUV. These Y2K visual nods showcase the freedom that existed before the modern landscape I Quit takes place in, harkening back to a simpler time, but also one we can return to if we leave the recent events weighing us down behind us, too.
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The record’s referential nature shines throughout its fifteen songs, constantly reminding the listener why Haim deserve their place in rock’n’roll history. Opener ‘Gone’ is a soft, trembling track lifting the hook of George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ and using those gospel notes to backdrop to the album’s thesis statement: “I’ll do whatever I want…/ I’ll be whatever I need.” As the following songs dive into the highs and lows of a break-up and a return to single life in your thirties, that promise of paving your own path continues to ring true.
I Quit’s sound is both retro and modern all at once, curating an ‘indie’ style within the major label space that feels sincere to Haim’s artistic desires. Every song offers up a purposefully static-y, lo-fi mix, tugging at the heartstrings to make you both wistful and yet eerily uncomfortable dwelling on the past. 90s acoustic guitars keep the production stripped down and raw. Even when the dynamics are almost bursting at the seams, that Sheryl Crow-esque style makes the heaviest moments feel upbeat. Bright sunshine beams through on every track, bringing light to the dark lyrics, which investigate how people take advantage of others.
In the album’s poppiest numbers, Haim’s knack for a good hook is undeniable. ‘Cry’ opts for a deliciously simple chorus that would fit on any adult contemporary classics playlist. ‘All Over Me’ serves as the sexy sequel to 2020’s ‘Gasoline’, with its delicate Swiftian backing vocals and breathy, impassioned lyrics. Its romanticisation of early budding romance pulls the listener into the album’s overarching story of relationship collapse.
That sentimentality for days gone by echoes on ‘Take Me Back’, which gets into somewhat experimental territory with its country weirdness. Juxtaposing deadpan spoken word scenarios in the verses against sparkling twee pop choruses only works thanks to the pure chemistry between the sisters performing. Of course, producer Rostam lightly tapping the glockenspiel at assorted intervals also gives the song some charm. Its bridge becomes increasingly desperate, listing moments of lust that kicked off the relationship in question, craving the titular return to the beginning rather than the current tragic conclusion.
Pre-released singles represent the album’s overall sound well, with ‘Relationships’ working beautifully in its falsetto melodies and sassy line deliveries. Both a kiss-off to an ex and a celebration of being out on your own, each listen reveals more instrumental complexities on this song, like the dreamy keys held up against crashing cymbals. On the flip side, the darker tune ‘Down to be wrong’ opts for moody vocals and eerie drums, polished into a slick soft rock experience thanks to its subtle, emphatic guitar licks. ‘Everybody’s Trying To Figure Me Out’ remains a highlight amongst the tracklist, laidback and honest as the narrator admits the beauty in not knowing how she feels quite yet. Its relaxed but still powerful drums carry the song, picking up the pace alongside sharp electric guitar stabs in the chorus.
Some of the strongest moments on I Quit are those that dabble in the Americana Haim so often nod to, such as quoting Bruce Springsteen on the opening track. One such example is ‘The Farm’, a sparse, folksy ballad which uses a heartfelt metaphor about property and shared life to demonstrate how destructive losing a long-term relationship can be, Its powerful melodic hook “Buy me out” is made more intense by its distinction from the song’s otherwise gentle, sun-dazed sound.
Outside of Americana elements, the sisters make sure to dive into rock music’s other expansive genre identities throughout I Quit. ‘Lucky Stars’ fills the soundscape with fuzzy, shoegazing guitars, sonically representing the mystery and emotional distance at its core. Alternatively, ‘Million Years’ is deliberately bizarre, mixing busy rave-style drums with a light vocal that’s gorgeously unique. The song’s heavily synthesised bridge stuns in how robotic it sounds against the raw storytelling. Haim depict the small, magical moments in a relationship flashing by like a montage, over a beat that sounds like a heart pounding underwater. I Quit presents itself as a record about not caring, but it’s in these intimate moments that it’s most relatable, because the narrator reveals herself to always care so very much.
By the record’s final tracks, the sound has distorted to become gritty and strange, most notably on ‘Blood on the Street’. This smoky country rock track sets audiences inside a dimly lit bar, nodding their heads to the unsettling guitar tunings and winding solo, before a meandering bridge kicks in to toy with rhythm to commanding effect. This, of course, is the pre-cursor to the album’s final catharsis. ‘Now it’s time’ instrumentally detonates in its last minutes, with Haim acknowledging “You’ll never give the perfect ending / Not that anybody could”. But after such a cool fourteen tracks prior, this last big, dramatic shift comes pretty close.
Although it may sound light and breezy, I Quit does not shy away from the heavy emotions that come with all endings in life. Once again, Haim prove themselves to be a whipsmart band with an incredible talent for songwriting and genre exploration. They cannot be easily boxed in, giving them an instantly recognisable but never tired trademark sound. It’s a skill that suggests there won’t be any concluding their prolific musical journey any time soon.
