\Golly, Sandra, you've grown up really crazy"" Eisley lead singer Stacy DuPree sings midway through Room Noises, Eisley's major label debut, and the sentiment certainly applies to the band members as well.
Eisley is composed of the three DuPree sisters, their brother, and a close family friend. The DuPrees were home schooled by non-traditional, devoutly religious parents deep in the heart of Texas.
Inspired by their parents' Beatles records, and with few other friends to play with, the siblings decided to start a band when the youngest, Stacy, was only eight. They wrote most of their songs in their bedrooms and toured around the Texas Christian music scene.
This bizarre Hanson-meets-""The Virgin Suicides"" combination is curious on its own, but it is all the more noteworthy for the success and acclaim they have received since forming.
In 2003, they were handpicked to open for Coldplay's U.S. tour. Their appearance at the 2003 South by Southwest Music festival sparked a major label bidding war that resulted in a contract with Reprise and eventually, Room Noises.
So what is all the noise about? Room Noises sounds like a collaboration between Sixpence None the Richer and Coldplay, written and recorded in an enchanted forest. This sounds far-fetched, but Eisley's music is so otherworldly that, while listening to their accomplished debut, this scenario seems plausible.
Eisley pairs epic instrumentation with unearthly song premises and hallucinogenic, lyrical imagery. ""Marvelous Things"", for example, is a retelling of Lewis Carroll's ""Alice in Wonderland."" Sometimes, lyrics such as ""I followed a rabbit through mermaid-entwined shrubbery"" are admittedly too precious and weird. This will undoubtedly turn off some listeners.
Once past these eccentricities, you are in for a treat. It is surprising how well Eisley's grand, lively melodies complement their audacious lyrics. Lines that look cloyingly na??ve on paper such as, ""I wake up, the sun is beautiful"" are delivered in stunning three part harmony by the DuPree sisters and come off sounding completely natural, even epic.
Almost every song has a chorus that opens into bright Technicolor hues. In these moments, one can imagine flowers blooming and birds taking flight??-the music really has an invigorating appeal.
It should be noted that not every song is a complete success. A few of Eisley's songs-""I Wasn't Prepared"" and ""Lost at Sea""-float by prettily, but go nowhere. Room Noises' more upbeat tracks fare much better because they inject Stacy Dupree's voice with a sense of urgency. Lead single ""Telescope Eyes"" uses a grungy guitar line that borrows from Radiohead's ""Creep"" to great anthemic effect. ""My Lovely"" employs a vaguely Eastern melody and a sunny chorus that will stick in your head for days.
Overall, Eisley has released an impressive, unique and downright gorgeous album. Great things can be expected from them in the future. Make sure to pick up this record in time for your next springtime stroll.
