The Staves: “The pressure to feel empowered is stifling”

Image source, Harvey Pearson

In an era of cost-cutting, even successful indie-folk bands are prone to contraction.

So if you buy The Staves' fourth album, All Now, you might notice that the band has changed from a trio to a duo: it's an angelic voice less bang for your buck.

The change comes after Emily Staveley-Taylor took a break to raise two young children, leaving the family business between the hands of his younger siblings, Jessica and Camilla.

Which begs the question: what kind of monsters would fire their own sister while she's on maternity leave?

"These kind of monsters!" Jessica says. "Should we cut straight to the tabloid story? 'The Staves open up about their acrimonious split!'"

Of course, she's joking. In fact, the new album even contains a touching tribute to Emily - a catchy, Beatleophile song called After School.

"It's literally about starting the school and looking up to my big sister," Jessica says.

"She...