First posted on Mark Is Cranky:
When I first stumbled upon one of Eisley's first EP's, I was fairly certain that we'd be hearing from these young folks again. "Letters To Cleo-meets-Radiohead" was an either too strong or too undercooked description. Hey, it can happen. Tryin' to 'get' a band's essence based on a mere four tunes is not so easy.
So now that I've had several nice, long listening sessions with Eisley's full-length Room Noises, I'd have to say that my quick description was only partially on target. Sure, there are some Radiohead-esque noises going on, but that's just a small part of their thing. Other stylistic bits: country music (pedal steel guitar used as beautiful coloration during "Golly Sandra"), snazzy vocal harmonies (just about every song) and novel uses of melody ("Marvelous Things" and, especially, "I Wasn't Prepared", where I am slayed by Sherri DuPree's trilling vocals trailing the line "I Wasn't Prepared For This". Her voice does sound like Kay Hanley, but also Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays).)
Now, back to Radiohead for just a minute. Just for fun, I googled (Google: a website, a search engine, a verb, a dessert topping, a floorwax) Eisley and Radiohead. The results included these interesting tidbits:
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The entire DuPree clan was home-schooled (Chauntelle, Sherri, Weston and Stacy)
Stacy wrote her first song at the age of 8
Chauntelle was indeed inspired by Radiohead's OK Computer
Their first gigs were a Christian-music-centered coffehouse in their hometown of Tyler, Texas
Interesting, and very talented kids. They've taken a bunch of their influences, filtered at least partially through their parents' record collection, and have come up with a shimmering (I have to use that word, "shimmering", because "luminous" is on my list of OverusedCriticSpeakWords) example of what's always been so great about pop music (hmmm, maybe music in general): elevating and distilling human experiences into a musical essence. Like poetry, with additional wiggly air molecules.
The idea of "Bands Deserving of More Recognition" has been around for a long time and the list of qualifying groups is a long one. Eisley is right near the top of my list. Bands like Coldplay have taken them out on tour. Currently, they're out there right now with New Found Glory. They also seem to be getting a fair amount of attention from the likes of MTV, VH1 and Rolling Stone.
I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Article comments
1 - The Theory
good review... i'm listening to the cd now and loving ever second.
2 - Mark Saleski
thanks T,
i left out previous review links at the bottom of the review (including yours) because i couldn't get to the reviews due to the system freakout.
3 - The Theory
haha. that's ok... i have a bad habit of not linking to other's reviews...
4 - Mark Saleski
i just figure anything that gets people lookin' at the rest of the site can't be a bad idea.
...even if i think the other review(s) suck, which of course they all do! ;-)
5 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
You have intrigued me, sir Saleski.
mind you, the mention of Coldplay freaked me a little. I'm sure they're lovely fellas, but the ammount of bands, especially here in the UK, clogging up the airwaves with piano-led drivel (Athlete being only one example. Keane being another) is intensely suffocating.
But i will inspect these folks.
6 - Cindy Chaffin
Room Noises is a GREAT album! I've seen Eisley live a few times too and they are great.
I interviewed the girls last month and found myself ridiculously giddy the entire time...
7 - Phillip Winn
Very nice album, Mark, thanks! My brother had mentioned these gals, too, and I couldn't resist. Glad I didn't. :-)
8 - Mark Saleski
glag you liked it pwinn.
i really do think they deserve to 'make it big', whatever that means.
and duke, i can't stand Coldplay...just used their name to indicate that 'big' bands have taken an interest.
9 - BRICKLAYER
Does anyone have Eisley's email address?
10 - Mark Saleski
brick, they're too young for you! ;-)
11 - BRICKLAYER
Oh, uh, um, of course I just wanted it to ask about lyrics and favorite foods and stuff! And I thought maybe they could could give me Gwyneth Paltrow's email address.