Haim‘s sophomore album Something to Tell You is a revealing examination of broken relationships; the various ups and downs, the turbulent emotions and the looming sense of regret. Haim looks closely at this conundrum while still doing their best to embrace a burgeoning career, the challenges of handling two seemingly opposing worlds. There are moments where the narrative become predictable, but Haim adds enough of their own personal flavor to avoid any creative hiccups.
By embracing a myriad of pop sounds, they’re able to expand their range; never going too far in any one direction. They give each song room to breathe, avoiding the pressure of coming up with a mega-hit. It is a cohesive project with enough fun and honesty to serve as a successful follow-up. Something to Tell You is the end of one emotional chapter and the beginning of another, a project that will undoubtedly lead to more heartfelt explorations.
‘Want You Back‘
Bubbly power pop that has the Three Musketeers up and dancing. It’s not over the top either, a subtle enough a landscape for them to speak about the itch they’ve been meaning to scratch. They are fanning the embers of an old flame, looking to resurrect what once was. But before that they have to come to terms with what happened, a call for forgiveness that comes across as genuine and heartfelt: [LISTEN]
‘Nothing’s Wrong‘
A driving beat has them reeling with uncertainty. The combustible guitar licks propel the action forward creating a sense of urgency. They’ve arrived back home from a long journey and sense that something has changed in the relationship. It isn’t a seismic shift, but all it takes is a small fracture for things to go from bad to worse. It’s a gut check, a nagging feeling that won’t go away: [LISTEN]
‘Little of Your Love‘
Hopeful and optimistic, a love song that is as sweet as it is innocent. The lack of details works in their favor as it keeps the mood light. With nothing anchoring them down they look to the future, wondering just how far this love can go. The beat is a throwback and has them feeling like they are in another era. The nostalgic sound suits them well, fitting firmly around their growing hearts: [LISTEN]
‘Ready for You‘
Broken beats mirror a feeling of remorse, a fractured sense of the past that won’t let them forget. They made a mistake, and are looking to make amends. Before they were too immature, living the lives of freewheeling rock stars. Now that time has passed they realize exactly what they left behind; a shot at genuine love, as precious as gold. Older and wiser, they’re looking for one more shot: [LISTEN]
‘Something to Tell You‘
A nagging feeling has them searching for the right words. Things haven’t been right for some time, and they feel that the rift will only grow if they don’t acknowledge it now. The thick bass and sparse acoustics gives them room to breathe, looking to capture that uncertain crossroads that many relationships face. Which way they will go is anyone’s guess, but before that the truth must come out: [LISTEN]
‘You Never Knew‘
The lifestyle is taking its toll on their relationship. They’re on tour, making music living the life, and their significant others can’t handle the distance. It’s a hard life to come by and an even harder life to manage, but they wouldn’t give it up for anything. The soft marching melodies show that while they are determined to move forward, there is still that human part that aches with remorse: [LISTEN]
‘Kept Me Crying‘
Like all break-ups there are drastic ups and downs, peaks and valleys that are full of love and regret. They’ve made tremendous strides to get over the pain, but keep coming back to that space that leaves room for hope. The back and forth shows that the wounds are still fresh, and they’re hoping that their hearts will heal properly so that it won’t leave a nasty and unsightly scar: [LISTEN]
‘Found it in Silence‘
Thought they found an honest man but soon realized that he was anything but. The problem is that he was looked at as the grand savior, someone who would help put them back to together. It was a naive thing to think, but they now see the light, understanding that that sort of expectation was unfair. They are learning from every scenario, hoping to avoid the same pitfalls in the future: [LISTEN]
‘Walking Away‘
The straw that broke the camel’s back. After all the fussing they have hit their breaking point, no longer sympathetic to the feelings and emotions of their insensitive significant others. With nothing left to salvage they make for the door, unconvinced by the empty promises. The harsh realization is hitting them hard and they know that it is now or never, the last chance for a clean break: [LISTEN]
‘Right Now‘
An exchange of harsh words has them feeling angry and out of sorts, the comments seething in their veins. They are outraged, and even more put off when the dude comes back crying, trying to make amends. It’s a night and day scenario where one moment he’s admonishing their love and the next claiming that he can’t live without it. A typical snapshot of a relationship gone sour: [LISTEN]
‘Night So Long‘
Slow and somber melodies mark the end of a long journey. The recovery process wasn’t easy, but they are walking away wiser than before. Fame and fortune has opened many doors, but closed just as many in the process. They are moving forward undeterred and as motivated as ever. Yet still they can’t help but look back on what once was, hoping that in another life it’ll be a little bit easier: [LISTEN]
