Indie-rock’s favourite sisters, recently announced Laneway Ladies and walking, talking Instagram photos HAIM wear their influences proudly on their sleeves. Their debut album Days Are Gone (released in Australia TODAY!) proves that the girls’ music can stand up on its own two guitar-powered legs – but that doesn’t stop them dabbling in the art of the cover song every now and then. Here’s five of their best:
Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough
In Australia earlier this year for their live debut at Splendour, HAIM confirmed their BFF status with Triple J breakfast hosts Tom and Alex when they stepped into the studio to cover Sheryl Crow’s Strong Enough for the weekly Like A Version segment. All they wanna do is have some fun.
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
We featured this once before, but it wouldn’t be a HAIM covers list without it. At the height of worldwide twerk-induced Miley Fever, HAIM stopped by the BBC for their second Live Lounge appearance and covered Wrecking Ball. Unlike Miley though, they managed to keep their clothes on, and their tongues off the demolition gear.
Fleetwood Mac – Oh Well
Fleetwood Mac are one of the names most commonly thrown around in “HAIM sounds like” conversations, and this cover of Oh Well (as well as their version of Hold Me for the Fleetwood Mac tribute compilation Just Tell Me That You Want Me) suggests the group have a real soft spot for Stevie Nicks and co.
The Bangles – Hazy Shade Of Winter
The rabbit hole goes pretty deep – Here, HAIM do a karaoke version
of a cover of a cover of Simon and Garfunkle’s Hazy Shade Of Winter.
It’s like a dream within a dream within a dream. It’s HAIMception.
The Strokes – I’ll Try Anything Once
The Crow, The Mac, and The Miley are one thing, but it takes real indie cred to cover an early demo version of a song that was only released as a b-side. The Strokes’ I’ll Try Anything Once was eventually reworked and retitled You Only Live Once, and released as the opening track on their third album First Impressions Of Earth, but HAIM took on the original version for Sirius XMU.
HAIM‘s debut album Days Are Gone is available today via iTunes.
