Haim’s “Relationships” Is Our Reward for Surviving Another Winter

I can’t help but think of the Strokes and Haim as linked titans of 21st century pop-rock. In part because Haim may not exist as we know them without Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, who enlisted Danielle Haim into his solo band—and also gave the sisterly trio their first big opening gigs—in the late 2000s. At that time, Casablancas offered the group some important advice: “Disappear, come back in a year with stronger songs, and hit the ground running.” They took those words of wisdom to heart, eventually releasing their bulletproof debut album, Days Are Gone, in 2013. By then, the Strokes were foundering creatively, having just released their third disappointing record in a row. In hindsight, it’s now clear that a torch was being passed. And let’s be real: The era when the Strokes were making consistently great music lasted about five years. At this point, Haim’s reign extends more than twice as long.