Days Are Gone, but girl power is here to stay

Yes, I'm talking about an album that's two years old. There's a reason for it. Let me get to that.

"The Haim sisters are those fabulous wispy girls who hang round with Taylor Swift on a speedboat right? They look gorgeous, but their music isn't for me."

Nobody had ever asked me why it wasn't for me. I didn't know. Aside from the radio I hadn't given it a real chance.

Then I saw their music videos. They have choreographed dancing - circa the Spice Girls. Now I'm converted.



Haim are like Lena Dunham's Girls for the ears. Their music is blunt, emotional and there's a shit load of swearing.

The truth is I was thrown by their image. They remind me of this girl I went to school with who is so gorgeous she could be the princess of a fictional Middle Eastern country. So I thought they were a bit out of my reach.

What would three long haired brunettes have in common with a bobbed blonde anyway? Apparently a lot.

Take My Song 5 for example. These girls are pissed - they experience everything us normal people do. I thought their songs were about beautiful goddess-esque things I couldn't understand, but no. Listen to their lyrics, 'Days Are Gone' is about being in love, breaking up, and all at the wrong moments. It's about wanting to go back or to run away or to do things you shouldn't when faced with desires vs reality. See Go Slow, Running When You Call My Name, The Wire, etc - actually, see tracks 1-11.

Let's also appreciate that, like girl bands before them, they're moving us forward. Predecessors like The Bangles, Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls have paved the way for this girl band. Haim are following in their footsteps with impeccable style, cultural awareness and an undeniable femininity.

I feel like they are the evolution of the girl band in my lifetime. We've come a long way from the tight sequin Union Jack dresses. It's like we're in the hipster years, where alternative style meets pop culture to create a refreshing sound, with enough teenage-moodiness, dance beats and relatable lyrics to appeal to a twenty-something looking for a female community to get her through the trials and tribulations of becoming a grown up.

And Haim have the longest combined hair of any band right now - and play all their own instruments. Bad. Ass.

Paramore more more

I have a pretty poor taste in life experiences. If I had a bucket list there would only be one thing on it: "To see Paramore perform 'That's What You Get'" and I could cross that off. Don't say you weren't warned. Despite this obviously dumb love for something trivial I was underwhelmed by their first release from their 2013 self titled album, 'Now'. It wasn't until  BBCR1's Live Lounge version of Still Into You that I decided to sit up and listen.

'Growing Up' is the punchy introduction into the "you're on your own; grow up and deal with it" theme. A message both for the band's ageing audience as well as themselves. There's a lot of speculation on how they'll do post the issues of 2011 but I'm a New Critic and dealing with autobiography is for the smaller minded. 'Ain't it Fun' is a bittersweet, gospel choir included, reiteration of this theme. The really good one.

'[One of Those] Crazy Girls' doesn't do much in feminist agenda but who am I to judge when it's been in my head since last Tuesday. Appropriate when mixed with Silver Linings Playbook.

The passive aggressive rub-it-in-your-face-I'm-so-happy (slightly Hawaiian?) interludes 'Moving On'/'Holiday'/'I'm Not Angry Anymore' break up the volumes with a vindictive smirk I am 100% on board with.

'Fast In My Car' is also very appropriate when bought on CD and rocking in a ten year old/battered Skoda Fabia. Who says you need a good stereo-system or anything that can go over 70mph anyway.

I was asked if Paramore is "better than their old stuff" and I don't really have an answer for that. I recognise that saying "it's different" is about as helpful as covering doorhandles in mashed potato but it's just that. Different. I guess any woman who can fearlessly wear her fringe like this will have my admiration no matter what. 

Look at how badass that is. I believe it's this haircut which inspired the lyrics to 'Proof': "If I'm a woman with no fear just like I claim I am" - obviously you are Williams, obviously you are.