The Staves

The Staves (Emily, Jessica, and Camilla Staveley-Taylor) released their debut album ‘Dead & Born & Grown’ back in 2012 to widespread critical acclaim. The sisters’ ability to deliver pin-point harmonies alongside exceptional lyrics and musicianship evoked as much praise on record as applause on the stage.

Over the next 18 months The Staves and their band-mates hit the road relentlessly, performing their songs to packed houses on both sides of the Atlantic. They concluded their 2013 festival run by opening Glastonbury’s Other Stage, and joined Pyramid headliners Mumford & Sons as special guests that same evening. Their headline touring culminated with a sold-out Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.

It was during that period of touring that a friendship of epic proportions developed between The Staves and Justin Vernon, as The Staves opened for Bon Iver during their North American and European arena tours. This friendship moved from the stage to the studio when in February 2013 The Staves spent a hard-earned break at Vernon’s April Base Studios in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was here amidst the pastures and woodlands of the rural Midwest, and in sub-zero temperatures, that The Staves found their perfect creative environment.

Blood I Bled EP is the first public outing of new tracks written by The Staves and recorded at April Base. The title track ‘Blood I Bled’ is taken from the forthcoming studio album produced by Justin Vernon and features a full supporting cast of his Bon Iver band-mates.

Resolutely confident and deeply emotional, there’s a heightened and supremely focused sense of drama and atmosphere in these new songs and recordings.