The Staves - The Motherlode

Sometimes you just need to be eased gently into the day with something wonderfully tender and soothing. In an age where all the stresses of modern life can seem all too much to cope with, when you just want to spend all day in the comfort and safety of bed, The Staves new single stands as a pretty good reason to get up for. Where The Motherlode works is in its essence of soft tranquillity that placates itself to your emotions like a seasoned professional of relaxation, delicate folky refrains nestling up into pretty vocal harmonies and an inherent sense of natural beauty. The Staves are set to tour the UK throughout April before heading out to the US to support Bon Iver.

The Motherlode is released on the 20th April.

The Staves - Mexico

The Staves claim their music is bred of shared car journeys listening to the likes of Feist, Fleet Foxes, Simon & Garfunkel, and there's more than a definite hint of the swirling, natural acoustic bliss of all those artists in the title track of their new EP; Mexico.

It is in Feist they find their closest compatriot - Mexico revolves in the same quaint, cute melodies, but with the more outre elements of Feist's musical methodology stripped away. Indeed, as the gentle, strummed chords progress, the song becomes not so much a piece of music, but more of a presence - a disembodied thing of ethereal power. It's beautifully moving stuff.

The tuneful threesome are set to head out on tour in February with the brilliant Michael Kiwanuka on the following dates:

11th February - Dublin,Sugar Club
12th February - Cork, Cyprus Avenue
14th February - Birmingham,Glee Club
15th February - Brighton, Komedia
16th February - London,Islington Assembly Hall
18th February - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
19th February - Liverpool, Masque
20th February - Manchester,Ruby Lounge
23rd February - Newcastle, The Cluny
24th February - Glasgow, King Tuts
25th February - Edinburgh,Electric Circus

The Mexico EP is released on the 12th December.