Eisley promotes new CD on the road, fans approve

CRYSTAL TAYLOR
Staff Writer

The Texan quintet, Eisley, gained many fans after its 2005 debut CD, “Room Noises,” hit shelves. With its innocent and dreamy sound, many viewed Eisley as music from little girls who have yet to give up their doll collections. The band, who opened for The Fray, has even been compared to “something hobbits might make on a rainy day in the Shire,” by NYLON Magazine. However, the newly released “Combinations” shows maturation both musically and lyrically that mirrors the members’ ascent into adulthood.

Before Warner Records put out Eisley’s sophomore album, the band decided to hit the road on an acoustic tour to give its fans a little taste of its upcoming release.

Eisley played at San Diego’s House of Blues July 27. The show took place in the smaller side room and was limited to 150 people. Only the avid Eisley fans were fast enough to get tickets. Before the show, the members of Eisley wandered through the crowd, saying hello to their fans.

Dupree siblings Chauntelle, Sherri, Stacy, Weston and cousin Garron DuPree of Eisley hit the stage early in the night. The show featured songs from the band’s debut album, “Room Noises,” and even had some songs from its upcoming CD at the time, “Combinations,” which hit stores Aug. 14. Eisley’s acoustic show did exactly what it was meant to do — it left fans itching for “Combinations” to hit stores so they could grab it from the shelves.

At the concert, Eisley’s family stage banter kept the mood light hearted. It was obvious that there was a lot of love and teasing between the five of them. The group’s musicianship was tight, and the harmonies between Stacy and Sherri were even more chilling than on their recordings. By the time they sang their last song, “Invasion,” which is also the first single off “Combinations,” the little room was hot and clouded from the crowd’s exuberance.

“Combinations,” which sold almost 10,000 copies in its first week, opens with “Many Funerals,” which automatically sets the darker tone of the album. The alternating lines between Sherri’s brighter voice and Stacy’s more melancholy tone are striking.  “Invasion” was a wise choice for Eisley’s first single, with its sci-fi undertones and infectious chorus. This song is a stretch for Sherri, as she is used to singing higher parts and takes on a more moody key for this song. “A Sight to Behold” is an experiment with a harder sound, featuring power chords and a tom-intensive drum part. The music seems to be too dark for the love song lyrics. “Ten Cent Blues” pulls from the island sound the band employed for “Golly Sandra,” off “Room Noises,” while “Go Away” showcases Stacy’s skills as a pianist, which was not showcased enough in Eisley’s first album.

Fans who expect “Combinations” to mirror Eisley’s debut album lyrically should keep in mind that Stacy and Sherri wrote those lyrics when they were 12 and 17. “Combinations” moves away from songs about mermaids and tackles more universal issues. The album’s title track paints an ethereal picture of being in love, as Sherri sings, “I went for so long/and I was so wrong/and then I met you/and now I can’t live without you/and I don’t want to/I’ve done that all my life up till now.” Stacy’s background vocals are very low, serving to enhance her sister’s light, ethereal voice. It is one of several love songs on the album, inspired by Sherri’s recent marriage to Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory. “Invasion” tells of a nameless predator, trying to “make us forget ourselves,” which seems to be warning listeners of the dangers of conformity. “Taking Control” is a ballad of independence.  Produced by Gilbert, it starts out sparse with a basic drum beat, tambourine, and barely perceptible guitar part, really emphasizing Stacy’s chants of “When we get down/if we get down/we’ll get up again/we’ll get up again.” It then launches into a powerful chorus that proclaims that, “you’ve been taking control of our lives/and we won’t take it.”

Overall, the album is a step up in sound and maturity for Eisley, and still maintains those haunting melodies and airy quality that pulled fans in the first time. The group will be touring with Mute Math this winter, so be sure to catch them at Avalon Hollywood on Sept. 27.

08-27-2007