They have announced their first album in five years, ‘I Quit’ on Columbia Records. In promotion for the upcoming music, the band have been recreating iconic pop culture photos with help from family friend and longtime collaborator of the band, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (Punch-Drunk Love, Phantom Thread).
‘Down to Be Wrong’ is a slow burner that boils into a scream-a-long. In a Zane Lowe interview, HAIM described their writing process for the track that “that day, [we] really needed to get things out, I don’t specifically remember what we needed to get out that day but we just insanely wanted to scream and let out emotions”. The band went on to say that they write “where their heart is” which is playing live and screaming.
The track opens with the classic Este Haim bass sound. Danielle sings us in slowly. Trying to self-preserve in the aftermath of a heartbreak, the lyrics are only a simmer at first: "You thought I would fall / Back in your arms / But I lost my heart / And the future's gone with it”. But when the chorus boils up, “I bet you wish it could be easy / To change my mind” we see the true anger behind the motions.”
The bridge is devastating and relatable, trying to be something else to fit into someone else’s life: “Boy, I crushed my whole heart / Trying to fit my soul into your arms / And I crushed up these pills / And I still couldn't take 'em”. It’s a cathartic release even through the pain of being forward and honest about the experience. Danielle puts it simply about moving on: “red lights are up ahead / but I keep walking”.
The track credits Rostam Batmanglij (known mononymously as Rostam) as a writer and a producer. Rostam is one of the founding members of Vampire Weekend, and the indie rock quirkiness element definitely shines through on this track.
Haim has released a video for ‘Down to Be Wrong,’ featuring actor Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson, Perks of Being a Wallflower), you can find on YouTube. This track follows the singles ‘Relationships’ (featuring actor Drew Starkey in the music video) and ‘Everybody’s Trying to Figure Me Out’ which was co-written with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.
With an album to be released June 20th, we can only hope that there will be a tour too. Fingers crossed.
Molly Spencer
Image: ‘Down to Be Wrong' Official Single Cover
