HAIM

HAIM might seem like they've been the next big thing for the past year, but they put this band together way back in 2006. The sisters Haim (Danielle, Este and Alana) originally supported their dad's group as kids, and their genetic chemistry shines through on Days Are Gone. Having released a handful of too-good-to-be-true singles, HAIM were on point to turn in a classic debut, and they've come very close. HAIM could have taken the easy route, mimicking the classic rock of their parents' generation, and I have no doubt they would've excelled covering Fleetwood Mac. However, their keenness for contemporary R&B/hip-hop rhythms is what makes them an anomaly. One minute, "My Song 5" hops to a skittering beat and the kind of honking bass that's often abused by Timbaland productions, the next, they're at the other end of the spectrum with "Honey & I," which would work nicely on a dinner party playlist next to Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open The Door." Unfortunately, they load the front half with all of the hits, scrunching "Falling," "Forever" and "The Wire" — three of the best singles by any one artist on a single release this year — all off the top. They have enough left in the tank for the second half though, playing their Stevie Nicks card on the title track and adding tension to the tightly wound "Let Me Go." Sure, the sequencing could have used some tweaking, but Days Are Gone is a commendable effort that manages to answer all of the hype.