The Way Is Read

The Staves & yMusic

Released on 01/12/2017 by Nonesuch
Main artists: The Staves yMusic
Genre: Alternative & Indie

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The Way Is Read pairs indie folk singing sisters the Staves with indie/classical chamber sextet yMusic, a group that had already recorded with musicians like John Legend, Ben Folds, and Dirty Projectors prior to the project. A true collaborative effort, it brings together original songs by the Staves and reworked versions of yMusic compositions, and was co-produced by the Staves' Jessica Staveley-Taylor and yMusic violinist Rob Moose. The result is neither a folk album nor a classical one -- not that these acts ever fit squarely into either of those camps to begin with -- falling more into the realm of experimental chamber pop. It opens with an elegant a cappella harmony track ("Hopeless"), followed by a much more turbulent, mostly instrumental one ("Take Me Home"). The third track, "Trouble on My Mind," balances the two in an arrangement that draws focus to the vocal melody and harmonies while offering rich, energized accompaniment. It also holds some beautiful musical climaxes where sustained three-part vocal harmonies are lifted by arpeggiated strings. The rest of the record continues to rotate orchestrated songs with more abstract compositions that incorporate voice. The former impress in the same way that yMusic's 2015 album with Ben Folds, So There, did. There, they also seamlessly filled the spaces where a rock combo or folk group would traditionally be expected, making it their own and challenging genre boundaries without detracting from the songs. That trick speaks more to their musicality than restraint -- the parts and arrangements on both albums are far from simple. Here, that fact is more apparent on a song like "All My Life," with its butterfly-like whimsicality passing a lot of notes around the ensemble. It's easier to overlook on an atmospheric entry like "Courting Is a Pleasure," which employs shifting drones and ornamental solos under the Staves' vocals. The Way Is Read's sequencing, which mixes songs and connective tissue, sometimes within and across tracks, has the effect of an album-length work, if one with distinct tunes. Perhaps its biggest achievement is that it so often seems the work of a single group of nine.

© Marcy Donelson /TiVo

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The Way Is Read

The Staves

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Hopeless