The Staves – ‘All Now’ album review: an emotional trip down memory lane
THE SKINNY: Over the years, the Hertfordshire town of Watford has produced a range of notable figures, from Vinnie Jones to Bradley Walsh, but few of them have mastered the art of singing quite as well as the sisters behind folk-rock masters The Staves. Getting their start in the open-mic circuit of Watford, they are now a band at the very top of their game, as signified by the emotional rollercoaster that is their latest album, All Now.
As anybody who has ever tried their hand at karaoke can attest to, singing is a lot harder than it looks. Yet, the charts are awash with talented vocalists whose stunning voices have gained them a notable following. However, singing is not all about technical ability; the best singers are those who can use their voice to effectively convey complex emotions and atmospheres. Throughout the tracklisting of All Now, Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor repeatedly affirm both their technical proficiency and the inexplicable emotional weight of each and every song. Upon listening to the record, you find yourself hanging on every word, with something new revealing itself to you upon every listen. The Staves could make even the most mundane things seem vitally important.
All Now is the first full-length album to be released by The Staves following the departure of sister Emily, who stepped down from musical duties to focus on looking after her recently born children. Losing one-third of your band members is a difficult task to overcome, especially for an act like Staves, which focuses on voices, harmonies and the mixture of vocal performances between the sisters. Nevertheless – and this is by no means a dig at Emily – it rarely becomes much of an issue on All Now, with the two remaining sisters successfully pulling the slack left by the departure of Emily.
The incredible production of John Congleton renders the instrumentation just as powerful as the voices of the sisters, though the vocals and lyrics do largely remain the focus. His work on this album is reminiscent of his work with the likes of Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten, which should give you some idea of the mood created by All Now. It is a very introspective album, dealing both with the issues of nostalgia and trepidation over the future. The Staves are skilful in exploring these complex themes in apparently simple compositions. It is simultaneously an existential nightmare and a beacon of optimism, its themes as vast as the musical talents of the Stavely-Taylor sisters themselves.
For fans of: Thrift shopping, the smell of old books, and watching old episodes of Top of the Pops with the people you love most.
A concluding comment from a vicar: “A perfect soundtrack for my flock on a warm Sunday morning.”
All Now track-by-track:
Release Date: March 22 | Producer: John Congleton | Label: Communion Records
‘All Now’: The album’s title track wastes no time in setting the scene for the record which will follow. ‘All Now’ encapsulates a feeling of optimism and self-improvement, a perfect piece for summer adventures and memory-making. [4/5]
‘I Don’t Save It, But I Feel It’: Backed with retro-sounding synth music reminiscent of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, this track is nostalgic without feeling dated or derivative. The beautiful harmonies of the Stavely-Taylor sisters are undeniable throughout the record but are best exemplified in this song. [4.5/5]
‘Fundamental Memory’: A melancholic opening gives way to an endearingly sanguine track, with the tender vocals of the Watford duo providing a guiding voice through the emotional complexity. [4/5]
‘Make A Decision’: Distinctly more upbeat than its predecessors, this track is awash with all the same vocal talents and harmonies that have drawn you into the album thus far. However, in comparison to the earlier entries, it feels somewhat lacklustre, not enjoying the same emotional impact. [3/5]
‘The Echo’: A vulnerable and soulful break-up song which focuses less on heartbreak and more on the possibilities of what the future holds. ‘The Echo’ is a rare piece that could soundtrack a voyage of self-discovery just as effectively as a late-night cry. [4/5]
‘I’ll Never Leave You Alone’: Taking on folk influences reminiscent of the singer-songwriter boom of the 1960s, this track is a definite earworm. Although it does not have the same powerful sound as some earlier pieces on the album, its understated and soothing atmosphere is fairly refreshing. [4/5]
‘After School’: In a complete departure from the previous track, ‘After School’ takes on influences of retro rock. The song is clearly very introspective, though it lacks subtlety and can often feel somewhat generic. [2.5/5]
‘Great Wave’: The beginning of this track is fairly lowkey, but its building tension soon allows for a vibrant sonic explosion. Its building quality is fun, but the song itself is regrettably forgettable, potentially the closest The Staves get to a filler track. [2/5]
‘Recognise’: Back to the basics of Staves’ harmonies and very little instrumentation, this song showcases the captivatingly beautiful tones of Jessica and Camilla. Fittingly, for a track in which the focus is firmly on the vocals, the lyrics of this track are among the strongest across the album. [3.5/5]
‘So Gracefully’: This is not a bad song by any means, but the strange vaporwave-esque drum machine intro does disrupt the flow of the album somewhat. As the track progresses, this electronic influence proves itself to be fairly superfluous, so it seems a strange addition to the record. [3.5/5]
‘The Important One’: By far the shortest track on the album, with a runtime of only 70 seconds, yet it is probably The Staves’ most emotionally affective and pulchritudinous efforts. A definite standout that becomes increasingly heartbreaking with every listen. [5/5]
‘You Held It All’: Given the optimistic opening of the album, it seems fitting that the album finishes on a similar note, providing hope for the future. However, this song does suffer from coming immediately after the devastation of ‘The Important One’. [3/5]