Trio of sisters Haim play soft rock, evoking the 1970s – best on 2020’s Women In Music Part III. Their brief hiatus ended with 2025’s I Quit which also employs the production talents of Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend) and contains the usual reference points (between Taylor Swift, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks) but this time there seems to be a fixation on the 90s.
The bright, euphoric opener Gone evokes the gospel-tinged “Mixolydian” guitar music of the 60s (though the sample is from the 80s – George Michael’s Freedom) though the song itself doesn’t capitalise on the atmosphere. The light All Over Me sounds like Phoenix crossed with the Pretenders. Then, there is the catchy Michael Jackson-esque, Relationships, the Alanis Morrisette-adjacent Down To Be Wrong, and best of all, the lo-fi sunshine pop with a rapid spoke-sung delivery of Take Me Back (a la Bleachers). The plain and dreamy Lucky Stars unsuccessfully attempts to recast the appeal of Cocteau Twins. Million Years and Spinning evoke 00s dance-pop (a la Kylie Minogue) and electroclash. Blood On the Street is a plodding country-rock track with a bluesy guitar solo. The first real surprising arrangement is the second half of the Farm which integrates a harmonica and banjo otherwise, its a plain rip-off of Rolling Stones. The second is the Primal Scream-esque dance beat-switch on the closer, Now It’s Time.
Certainly, the tracks are varied but so much variation does not equal much quality across the tracklist. Several tracks are bogged down by bland songwriting but nonetheless, Rostam (despite his obvious talents) is culpable for the mediocre sound and arrangements. Overall, an overlong and much inferior follow up to Women In Music III.
Label: Colombia
Released: June 20, 2025
Losing My Edge Rating: 5/10
Best Tracks: Take Me Back, Blood On The Street