THE STAVES: DEAD & BORN & GROWN 12.11.2012

Album Review: The Staves (U.K.), Dead & Born & Grown, Released: 12.11.2012, Label: Atlantic, Available on Vinyl, MP3 Download & C.D..

The Staves are a trio of sisters from Watford, England and this is their debut album. Purchasing the album was to an extent a punt. A colleague, whose views on music I tend to respect was talking about them, and then I was in Rough Trade West Record Shop in London and heard a significant portion of it played, liked what I heard, so purchased it. 

Track one, 'Wisely & Slow', is beautiful harmonies with very subtle instrumentation for most of its duration and then the backing builds tempo. A nice start. Track two 'Gone tomorrow' continues the well balanced harmonies and subtle instruments, without any build up at the end, it is quite lovely. Track three 'The Motherlode' is like a hybrid of tracks one and two, nothing wrong with that. Track four, 'Pay Us No Mind', has not got the same level of harmonising throughout as the previous songs had, though is still quite charming. Track five, 'Facing West', is very restrained, with less harmonising and what sounds like ukulele and a brief whistle, very nice. Track six, In The Long Run', has a subtle increased jauntiness, is a charming number. Track seven, ' Dead & Born & Grown', does not change much from what has gone before, though is again quite charming. Track eight, 'Winter Trees', comes to sound more strident than previous tracks, though even this is well contained. Track nine 'Tongue Behind My Teeth' is more uptempo, perfectly pleasant. Track ten, 'Mexico', is the most charming and lyrically striking piece on the album. Track eleven, 'Snow', is further beauty with lovely harmonising. Track twelve, 'Eagle Song', is a perfect ending with a little how-down element to it and a nice space to the sound of the vocals. By the end the track begins to sound quite haunting followed by further how-down.      

The variety in the playing throughout the album, is quite subtle, with quite a few changes within an overall tone of gentility. There is not a single track I would skip, or where there is any dip in quality. The singing and harmonising throughout is refreshing and charming. A further reason along with Laura Marling & Jake Bugg to have hope for the future of young music in this country.         
(Purchased on Vinyl).

Rating: 09/10.