My final candidate for this year’s alternate universe Song of the Summer is ‘Relationships,’ the lead single of Haim’s fourth studio album, I Quit.
Haim has never had a song reach the Billboard Hot 100 (with the exception of Taylor Swift’s ‘No Body No Crime,’ on which they featured). So this breezy single had no chance of cracking the actual Song of the Summer chart. It was also released in March, three months before the album dropped, so maybe it’s more a Song of the Spring.
The Los Angeles sister trio Haim is back with their fourth album, I quit. This is their first release since 2020’s Women in Music Pt. III, a record I really loved.
This album comes on the heels of a break-up that had both personal and professional ramifications. Lead singer Danielle split from longtime boyfriend Ariel Rechtshaid, who was also a producer and co-writer on the band’s first three albums. That makes I quit a potent break-up album as well as a (relatively) new sonic direction for Haim.
I was struggling for a post to close out the week before I get to the 2021 movie-related content that will populate the blog for the next month or so.
Then I came across this Taylor Swift-assisted remix of the HAIM song ‘Gasoline,’ from their 2020 album Women in Music, Pt. III. That album was my favorite of 2020 and ‘Gasoline’ was my favorite song on it.
Another favorite song entry from Madison, ‘Saturdays’ is a 2018 release by Twin Shadow, the stage name of singer-songwriter George Lewis Jr.
This song appeared on the soundtrack of the Netflix film Someone Great as well as on Twin Shadow’s most recent album, Caer. I’m not sure if Madison first heard this in the movie, but if so, it’s yet another favorite song with a tie to a movie. There’s definitely something to that connection.
Closing out this week of quick hits is a track from the new Haim album, Women in Music, Part III. I didn’t even realize the Haim sisters had released a new album until I stumbled across this cut last week.
I’ve since listened to the whole album a few times and I’m loving it. It’s their best work so far. Just check out the sultry groove of today’s SOTD… the whole album has this vibe.
Meet Me In Montauk 