Album review: Haley's 'Pleasureland' is an example of a hard left turn executed the right way
With her ninth studio album 'Pleasureland', Minnesota-based artiste Haley (professionally known as Haley Bonar for the last 15 years) embarks on a series of firsts. Most noticeably, it is her first full-length instrumental album with no signs of her malleable, powerful vocals, which she's put to solid use in her past records. It is also her first album after she legally changed her name to Haley McCallum (to reflect her maternal family name) and changed her stage name to just 'Haley'.
Each of the 12 tracks on the album arrives with its own accompanying visuals, and it also marks Haley's first time dabbling with the new medium. To say the least, 'Pleasureland' is a brave effort. But it's also much more than that. It's a blatant U-turn made with a level of confidence and sharp intent that reflects clearly through the 27-minute instrumental journey.