Nonesuch Records released the English trio The Staves' 2015 label debut If I Was to critical acclaim, with the New York Times saying "the songs are illuminated from within," and Magnet adding, "The perfection just goes on and on until you start to wonder: Are they human?" The album was recorded in Eau Claire, WI at its producer Justin Vernon's studio. Following the release of If I Was, The Staves performed at a string of international festivals, including Glastonbury and Vernon's Eaux Claires, before joining Florence and the Machine's sold-out arena tour of the UK. Now the Watford, England–based sisters—Emily (vocals), Jessica (vocals, guitar), and Camilla (vocals, ukulele) Staveley-Taylor—announce plans for a 16-city North American tour beginning June 3. Stops include Minneapolis, Washington, Nashville, and New York, among others, along with previously announced sets at the Firefly and Eaux Claires festivals.
See below for all of the currently announced shows. A fan pre-sale for the newly announced dates begins this Wednesday, March 2, via the band's e-mail list (sign up at thestaves.com); general on-sale begins on Friday, March 4.
To pick up a copy of If I Was, head to iTunes or the Nonesuch Store, where CD and vinyl orders include a download of the complete album at checkout.
The Staves released their first full-length album, Dead & Born & Grown, produced by Glyn and Ethan Johns, in 2012. The Sunday Times called it "a debut of stellar beauty and hidden depths." The band then spent much of the next three years touring the world, including opening spots with the Civil Wars, Ben Howard, and Bon Iver.
During the Bon Iver dates the sisters formed a bond with Vernon, who invited them to visit April Base's relaxed, idyllic setting. "There was no plan to make a record there, or even demo anything; it was initially just to hang out and play some music with Justin," notes Jessica. But by the end of the sisters' first visit to Wisconsin, it was evident that something significant was happening.
On If I Was, The Staves examine their seemingly endless touring. "The amount of time we've spent away from home has affected all our relationships," Emily says. "And I don't just mean boyfriends, but relationships with family, close friends, and wider groups of mates, who you just have to get used to never seeing. It can be difficult. Writing about it all is necessary therapy in making sense of quite an unconventional life."
THE STAVES ON TOUR
