HAIM ~ one of the better things on Jools Hootenanny? ~ Live videos

ICBM · January 2014

I've watched a few of the videos now - including the ones with a supposedly good mix - and I've gone from not being very interested to thinking they're actually quite poor. They're dull, bordering on irritating - the mixing isn't an excuse, they're just a messy, muddy-sounding band with no dynamics or clarity. The vocals are mediocre at best, and the songs don't sound like anything special if you can actually hear them. Worst, they seem rather full of themselves despite all that.

Really, if they were three ordinary-looking young blokes playing exactly the same music, would anyone be even slightly interested?

ChrisMusic · January 2014

So that will be a *no* then ICMB...

but you are right, if they were three ordinary-looking young blokes... they would get little interest and have a tough time getting noticed.

They do have a USP (biz talk, sorry) and the marketing people have something to get hold of as an angle to promote them.

Luckily I have missed the silly interviews, there is some daft banter on stage from the "goldfish" and that's enough. (as if I haven't been embarrassed by some of the things I have said and done; but that's life, and that's growing up I guess)

They do seem quite good at self promotion, like appearing on nearly every stage at Glastonbury doing slightly iffy backing vocals, so that gets them noticed too.

They are definitely tighter, playing better (not great, but better) and exploring arrangements and maybe even presenting the songs differently for different markets, as appears from the US performances.

Thanks @dtc for those vids, quite a different sound, much more keys, and samples over the "breaks", and they seemed much more comfortable in their own skins, and I think the confidence is deserved as they gain more acceptance.

The thing that stands out to me is the improvement in the vocals all round, without loosing their signature style. They are obviously open to improvement and the coaching they are getting is paying off, IMO.

stickyfiddle · January 2014

Just saw this on rollingstone. As much as I like Haim's album, the amount by which Lorde is better than them vocally is quite impressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r0OJL_k3Hg

ChrisMusic · January 2014

Agreed @stickyfiddle. That was embarrassingly off key. Lorde is doing what she does best, very distinctive IMO.

You should know where your limits are and stick within them for public performance, and work on them for the future.

There is a lot to be said for staying with your style and culturing it.

edit: There is a danger in this short career world, that the marketers push them in the wrong direction and they become just a caricature, but then what do the marketers care, they will just be onto the next big thing.

I still believe that with proper development Haim have that "something" to grow and turn into a band with staying power, maybe...

dtc · January 2014

At the risk of being labelled a "Haim fanboy" hehe I have for you another version of Strong Enough which is better than the Lorde duet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkd47bcQHxM

I think in all fairness I would say that, live, they are of varying quality. Vocals are hit and miss, and the lead singer's voice is very different live (my mother in law watched Forever on Jools and said she did not catch a single word lol). They do need to work on stuff, that's obvious, and the presence of a keyboard player and sample pads shows that they are doing stuff to smooth out the sound and fill the gaps and be more like the (extremely polished) album.

I'm seeing them in March (a postponed gig) so hopefully I will get the good stuff.

RocknRollDave · January 2014

Started watching the clip of Forever on Hootenanny, but had to give up about halfway in.

The singing is just...ridiculous. What's with the oddly mannered delivery? What's she trying to achieve by strangling every word like that? Makes it impossible to connect with the song. Not a bad song, not my kind of thing, but the vocal totally ruins it. If she sang it instead of acting it out it would be fine.

EricTheWeary · January 2014

ChrisMusic said:

They do have a USP (biz talk, sorry) and the marketing people have something to get hold of as an angle to promote them.

No need to apologize for the biz talk on here Chris, we all know that's the socket for plugging things into your laptop.

dtc · January 2014

RocknRollDave said:

Started watching the clip of Forever on Hootenanny, but had to give up about halfway in.

The singing is just...ridiculous. What's with the oddly mannered delivery? What's she trying to achieve by strangling every word like that? Makes it impossible to connect with the song. Not a bad song, not my kind of thing, but the vocal totally ruins it. If she sang it instead of acting it out it would be fine.

Reminds me of my U2 tribute days, we had a singer for a time with a rock background, he literally could not sing a line without putting a Hetfield-esque "AH!!" at the end. I had to laboriously edit the end of every line when we recorded a demo. Apart from that, great singer!

Back to Haim, on record that mannered delivery is very much toned down, practically non-existent. Maybe it's a punctuation thing to help with playing and singing at the same time? Don't know, but she does need to tone it down and be less guttural overall.

ToneControl · January 2014

do they play their own instruments on their studio recordings?

dtc · January 2014

ToneControl said:

do they play their own instruments on their studio recordings?

Yes they do, but I suspect they have the producer contributing too with keyboards, drum loops etc. Nothing wrong with that. I don't think there is anything wrong with their playing at all, they can play, it's just not coming across sound wise in some of these videos. Which is a problem for them.

I've listened to most of the good quality YT live stuff (Glasto, Reading, iTunes Fest) and I can honestly say I've hardly heard a bum note from the singer and bassist. I would say the second guitar player / keyboard player Alana is the weakest musically, but she does her more limited role well enough.

Weirdly all drums are credited to Danielle, singer and guitar player - Dash Hutton is not involved in the studio.

usedtobe · January 2014

I only caught the arse end of the programme. Off to check out the rest.

randomhandclaps · January 2014

usedtobe said:

I only caught the arse end of the programme. .

His name is Jools Holland, it's his show.

ChrisMusic · January 2014

usedtobe said: I only caught the arse end of the programme. .
randomhandclaps said: His name is Jools Holland, it's his show.

"You set 'em up, and I'll knock 'em down..." most excellent reply @randomhandclaps, ...big LOL, and spilt coffee too

sinbaadi · January 2014

I like HAIM, they have some good songs and are clearly good musicians all, but I've also thought they're far better on the records than they are live. The lead singer has a nice husky voice, but some of their songs simply seem to be too low for her to sing with any oomph live.

CabbageCat · January 2014

stickyfiddle said:

Just saw this on rollingstone. As much as I like Haim's album, the amount by which Lorde is better than them vocally is quite impressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r0OJL_k3Hg

Lorde goes to school with my ex's daughter in NZ. It's weird that I see news about her on international news sites and the Takapuna Grammar parents newsletter.

Fusionista · January 2014

gusman2x said:

More importantly, why has no one mentioned the monstrosity that is BASS FACE

Was mentioned. This girl reminds me of Skyler White.

ChrisMusic · July 2014

After their performance Glastonbury this year, I am disappointed that they don't seem to have become better musicians, and the pitchy vocals haven't improved either. Did they inflict the backing vocal thing on other bands like last year ? I haven't had time to watch much Glastonbury 2014 yet.

The sound was pretty crap too, which didn't help, but does seem to be a recurring theme from this years Glastonbury. What on earth are the engineers at the Beeb doing ? (and can I have some, please?)

You really can improve so much in a year. I suppose they have been touring and doing a lot of PR, and that takes it out of you, so maybe I am being a bit disingenuous.

However Bass Face has obviously practiced, and refined the delivery of the lipsticked gurn to a whole new level.

Despite that I still enjoyed the set though.

ChrisMusic · February 2015

Well, well , well, what a surprise, Haim teamed up with Calvin Harris for the new single.

Is this an astute career move, or crass commercialisation by their record company ?

Calvin Harris ft. Haim: 'Pray To God'

A bit of related blurb from the web ~ "We should probably talk about how awesome and smouldering Haim look in the video for their Calvin collaboration. Or where this fantastical location is. Or even why a lion just fades into thin air..."

Not sure the anaemic, emotionless, and possibly sultry look, is exactly my idea of "smouldering".

And WHAT ~ ~ ~ no BASS FACE ?

she didn't pull one of her signature moves all video !

(maybe that's a good thing?)

Calvin Harris ft. Haim: 'Pray To God'

duration 4:03

Jalapeno · February 2015

For those who haven't seen Mel C ripping it up ....

ICBM · February 2015

Calvin Harris is always good, and some of his collaborations have been truly brilliant (Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, Kelis, Florence for a few). But this is far more Calvin-by-numbers than usual, and Haim don't really contribute much - it could be anyone singing really. It might grow on me but I'm not that impressed yet… more of a filler track than a smash hit.

I'd guess it's more of an attempt to revive a flagging career - they always struck me as a bit of a one-trick pony - than a new direction. Sorry, but I still just don't get the big deal about them at all. The lack of Bass Face is a blessing though.

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HAIM ~ one of the better things on Jools Hootenanny? ~ Live videos

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