Customer Reviews

Combinations

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first time I heard of Eisley was at least four or five years ago. I remember watching MTV and seeing them featured on "You Hear It First." At that time, this underdog band from Texas had little to show for their efforts except for an EP and a tour with Coldplay. Still, the band aroused my interest, and I kept them on my radar. It wasn't until I saw them live in January of 2005 that I finally fell in love with them. Their debut full-length album was released just a few weeks later, and I can remember rushing into my local store minutes after they opened so that I could get a copy. "Room Noises" was a marvelous and wonderful album. It is one of the few albums that you can listen and just drift off to. The DuPree sisters were able to craft stories and imagery that was simply beyond their years, and the music they created was absolutely dreamy. It's been about 2 1/2 years since then and my hopes have been high for another brilliant album for some time. The question is, "Does 'Combinations' live up to it's predecessor?"

When you hit "Play" on your CD player, it's immediately clear that what you are about to hear will sound very little like "Room Noises." The lead-off track, "Many Funerals" is a very straight-forward rock track, completely unlike anything we've heard from the band before. In the chorus, the sisters sing "Break, break down!" over an aggressive guitar and bass. Is this really Eisley? Indeed, it is. While the song isn't bad by any means, it can definitely catch you off guard if you're not anticipating it.

Get used to it though. Eisley takes a much more traditional approach to making music this time around. Their lyrics are much more straightforward now, often singing about things that are relatable rather than fairies and forests. At the same time though, their sound is more polished and they sound more cohesive as a band than they ever have before. Their hooks are stronger, and they play their instruments with confidence. It's a trade off, because even though they sound much more talented on "Combinations," they don't sound as dreamy and innocent as they once did.

The first single, "Invasion," is really the closest that the DuPrees come to capturing the wanderlust of "Room Noises." Here, the sisters sing "Ooh, something's not right" in a wavy vocal style that sounds very familiar, very comforting. The next song, "Taking Control" is my personal favorite on the album. It sounds like nothing that they've done before, but the chorus is unbelievably infectious. The pianos, guitars, drums, and vocals blend perfectly to form a truly memorable pop rock song.

The band slows down a bit on "Go Away," the album's first real ballad, and a showcase for the group's unparalleled ability to harmonize with one another. When they sing "Go away, go away and leave me on my own" it moved me in a way that few songs have been able to this year, and as such, it stands out on the album. "Come Clean" is another ballad, but this time the vocals are not as much of a group effort. At the same time, however, the band shows off their talent on their respective instruments. Gentle guitar plucks and the frantic strums of a mandolin form the backdrop for this very soothing song. The song ends with the band singing "Come clean all around me" together before fading into the sounds of children playing. Beautiful.

"Ten Cent Blues" takes a very real look at relationships and the feeling of not being able to compete with someone to whom you feel you are physically inferior to. She sings about how the other girl is cheesy, and has no wit before conceding "I'm sorry I don't have her face, and I'm probably gonna lose this race." It's a far cry from Eisley of old, but it's nice to hear the earnest words of an artist every now and then rather than just fictional tales. "Combinations" wraps up with the bizarre, yet impressive "A Sight To Behold," the cutesy, yet dull title track, and the undeniably gorgeous and lullabye-like "If You're Wondering." It's a brief, but welcomed trip back to the fantasy world of earlier Eisley albums.

When it's all said and done, I can't help but have mixed feelings about "Combinations." It's obvious to me that the DuPrees have grown substantially as musicians since I first saw them play live several years ago, and their music has become more solid because of it. However, I miss the fantasy and wanderlust of "Room Noises" and their earlier EPs very much. I suppose it's just something I'll have to get over, because at it's core "Combinations" is a very impressive album. It's a work that can stand on it's own, apart from their past recordings. It may not be as immediately endearing, but Eisley has not let us down.

Recommended for fans of Eisley, Sixpence None the Richer, and anyone who wants to hear the best Tyler, Texas has to offer.

Key Tracks:
1. "Many Funerals"
2. "Taking Control"
3. "Go Away"
4. "Come Clean"
5. "If You're Wondering"

7 out of 10 Stars

Eisley is all grown up. Once they sang all about trolley woods, sea kings and "telescope eyes."

But in their second full-length album "Combinations," the Texan pop family sounds somewhat different. Their pretty pop and girlish vocals have stayed the same, but their music has darkened and matured all around -- the instrumentation more textured and rich, and the tone more wistful.

"Bring along your tricks and trade/we will lie here/here we lay/and though this ship is out to sea/I'm content to lie peacefully," Stacy and Sherri Dupree sing over a gentle nautical acoustic melody.

But it doesn't stay so mellow-sounding -- the song blossoms into a hard-edged pop tune, with moments of epic fuzzy guitar or shimmering piano-rock. And the song gets darker too: "And now we have no chances/We fill the empty caskets/and leave you with your tears... We all will take more chances/Before our lives end too..."

Things don't get much lighter in the sprightly "Invasion" tune ("You will be one of us painless, us blameless/go to sleep, this won't hurt a bit/shifting your shape to our shells"). They stick mostly to the upbeat sound, which is more lush and full-bodied than ever before -- catchy country-pop, swirling little rockers, ethereal ballads, gentle acoustic songs, and finally the haunting, music-box ballad "If You're Wondering."

For the record, Eisley's music hasn't changed THAT much -- they still have pretty, shimmering pop and deceptively simple lyrics. But the lyrics have more of an emphasis on love and tragic occurrances (like alien invasion, suicide and plagues), as if the band has grown up from children to young adults. As they have.

In essentials, the music hasn't changed much at all -- lots of swirling intertwined guitars, underlying basslines, gentle piano melodies, solid drums, and loops of spooky synth. And they weave in some xylophone, tambourine and what sounds like a balaika. But over time, their playing has grown more self-assured, and the melodies have become intricate, lush and textured.

And simply put, Stacy and Sherri Dupree have lovely vocals. Their girlish voices soar through the pop songs, sometimes solo and sometimes in harmony. And they sing songs about oppressive monarchs, alien invasions, and tangled loves ("You'll never contemplate that I am near/And help goes unseen/You're a cave, admitting who you choose/And I could be there for you").

Eisley's "Combinations" sees the wunderkind band growing and expanding, turning out a string of pretty, wistful pop gems. Definitely a great listen.

When reviewing the full length debut Room Noises from the family band, four siblings and one neighbor on bass, Eisley, I closed out my review, "I expect big things from Eisley in the future." The album then went on to land at number four of the Best Albums of 2005. Since the release of the album, the band has been touring, getting married and completed the DuPree only lineup by replacing the neighbor with a cousin to play bass.

But those expectations of big this is what makes the follow up, Combinations a let down. Where Room Noises was a breath a fresh air with melodic songs as a backdrop of plush melodies of the two lead singers, Combinations is just a rehash of the first album with songs only as good as the middle of the road ones on the debut. Not one song here comes close to the emotional punch of Marvelous Things or Telescope Eyes. Not to mention it is hard to ask put down over ten dollars for an album that barely breaks the half an hour mark.

With that said, Combinations isn't a bad album. It starts off with Many Funerals, a driving song where the all dudes rhythm section on drums and bass add to the darker theme that the band didn't explore on previous albums. Taking Control is a bouncing ditty which could be an instant sing-a-long at concerts. While Come Clean concludes with a family chorus.

The group did look like they took a different approach to writing this time around. Where the first album was littered with mythical themes about Sea Kings and bats with butterfly wings, it looks like all the marriages and engagements in the band has taken them in a more personal subject matter this time around touching on death (More Funerals) and a lot about love (I Could Be There for You, the title track). For those that prefer the more out there lyrics, there is Invasion that has a very celestial feel to it.

Even though the band didn't seem to live up to the potential of the first album, hopefully Combinations is just your patented sophomore slum and the big break out album will be coming shortly.

Combinations, the second full-length studio offering from indie rock wunderkinds, Eisley, is a work of genius. Combinations is full of the crystal clear vocals, ethereal arrangements and tight harmonies that defined the group's earlier releases, but it's edgier. The royal family of whimsical, mellow indie pop is all grown up, and the results are astounding.

Eisley is a quintet composed of siblings Chauntelle, Sherri, Stacy, and Weston Dupree and their cousin, Garron Dupree. Eisley was formed in Tyler, Texas in 1997.

Combinations is a fitting follow-up to 2005's ¬Room Noises, Eisley's critically-acclaimed debut LP that followed a tour with Coldplay. This stellar sophomore effort is running over with all the beautiful melodies and catchy hooks that critics and fans alike loved in Room Noises, and adds versatility to Eisley's lengthy list of virtues.

The first track, "Many Funerals" will probably be quite a surprise to Eisley fans as it is quite a bit harder than previous Eisley material. "Many Funerals" is a brilliant rock and roll sea chanty which fans of The Decembrists will enjoy. The songs witty and intelligent lyrics make it a sheer joy to listen to.

"Taking Control" is classic Eisley combined with a chunky metal-infused quitar sound. Though a bit of a departure for Eisley, this track more than meets expectations in terms of catchiness. Fans of Something About Airplanes era Death Cab for Cutie might enjoy this song.

"Ten Cent Blues" may not be aptly named, but the upbeat bluesy guitar sound works very well for Eisley. This song, much like, "Golly Sandra" from Room Noises has a definite country vibe. This track is a must-hear for fans of Martina McBride and the like who want to try something new.

The title track is also worth note. A mandolin and a brass section add a degree of richness and texture to this song that was largely absent in previous Eisley releases.

Combinations is an excellent album that will appeal to longtime Eisley fans and people new to the indie scene alike.

It's not too often that an album really makes me say "wow, this is great!", and even more rare that my wife asks what I'm listening to and why I haven't played it for her before. To put it simply, Combinations is my album of the year. Hands down: I love it. Every song is perfectly crafted and beautifully sung. And while there's plenty of variety in style and mood, the album holds together very nicely. So few albums seem to do that these days... there's often the one clear single, a handful of decent stuff, and then some filler. None of that here. But what does it sound like? Good question! Particularly with the opener "Many Funerals," Combinations owes a lot to the work of Kristen Hersh and Tanya Donnelly circa 1990. And that's not to say Eisley are rip offs, either: maybe more like a forgotten side-project recording. Is there any downside to this album at all? Yes: it's only 10 songs. Although one could argue that short and sweet is better, I guess. Go buy it and decide for yourself!

I heard Eisley for the first time a few years ago, and had mixed feelings on the original versions of Telescope Eyes and Marvelous Things. It had a 'girly' and 'kiddie' feel to it, that I sort of liked but wasn't sure about. After reading about how they were for the most part an entire family (at the time a family friend was the bassist) I decided I'd give them a few more tries. I liked their style, it tackled fantasy and topics beyond the norm.

Combinations compared to Room Noises really shows you how much they've developed from a family band to the real deal. They've matured, their topics/messages have.

I love the arrangements of the CD, though I admit I was a little put off by the 'change' of style. After several listens I realized it definitely was 'real' Eisley material and they've just matured enough to use their voices and creativity to whole new levels.

A few songs were weird, but really grew on me such as Taking Control and Many Funerals. It initially isn't like them, but you can definitely taste the Eisley dash of flavor.

Go Away really impressed me with how well they've developed their vocals. The sisters (3 of them) all participate within the whole CD and it's easy to appreciate.

Invasion is their heavily produced song, and sticks the closest to old Eisley material. I mean, Alien invaders? Cmon!

There really isn't another band out there currently who sound like Eisley. Their knack for strange, minor key melodies and off kilter harmonies are unmatched in modern music, and also probably paint them into a bit of corner when it comes to marketing: since no one else really sounds like them, there's no point of reference to compare them to.
"Combinations", the groups second full length LP and first featuring all new material, is this years most pleasnat surprise. It's the rare type of sophmore release, one that keeps what was good about the debut and builds upon it and deepens it.
Although the statement could be misconstrued, "Combinations" is a much heavier record than "Room Noises", not just musically but lyrically as well. Where "Room Noises" could be a little precocious at times, "Combinations" is down right poetic (favorite line: "You would take the breath from my throat"). Musically the record is tightier, and even if the group occasianally focus a little too much on mood over melody, the record moves well and is never, ever boring.
"Many Funerals" starts off simiular to "Memories" from "Room Noises", with the DuPree's amazing voices taking center stages, but has a strange, crashing chorus that fits the sadness in the lyrics perfectly. "A Sight to Behold" is reminscent of some of the love songs that appeared on the groups debut, but with more substance and an infectious, somewhat scary harmoney bridge. The records strongest track, "Invasion", builds to a majectic chorus. And that's not say that the lightness and sense of wonder that made "Room Noises" such an enjoyable record are gone: "Taking Control", "Combinations" and "If You're Wondering" are all lighter in tone, but no less powerful than the other songs.
The ryhthm section is tighter than ever, the vocals more intricate and intriguing than on "Room Noises" and, as a pleasant surprise, it all comes in at under forty minutes. It's nice to see a group know that length a great album does not make; it's quality.
And you will get a lot of that with "Combinations".

I also commented on this cd on Metacritic.com, but here goes....
It pains me to give Eisley such a low score...indeed, a 2.5 would be more fitting I feel. I am a huge Eisley fan, pre-ordered this cd, loved them in concert last week in Nashville, and fully expect to pre-order the next one. I love that the DuPrees are in the field of music, especially so-called "secular" music. More Christians should "do" art as Eisley does art. They are amazingly gifted. Nevertheless, there is no way that "Combinations" is even near "Room Noises" in terms of melody, magic and transcendence. Having been a music fanatic for most of my 45 years, I realize that artists need to "grow" and "expand" their sound and their boundaries no matter how the fan base feels. And with this heavier, more rhythmic sound, this they have done. And I love to rock for sure, I'm just suggesting that perhaps this wasn't what Eisley was intended to do with their art. The moments on "Room Noises" where Eisley rose to the occasion and their melodic muse flowed freely (such as on "Lost at Sea," "One Day I Slowly Floated Away," "Brightly Wound," "Just Like We Do," just to name a few)I was transported to a world that so very few artists take me...where the hair on my body stands straight up, where the world seems more hopeful....almost healing in its transcendence. These moments are never achieved on "Combinations" except for on the exquisite "Come Clean," and the last minute or so of "I Could Be There for You." I can't fault the production or the effort that Eisley clearly put out or the harmonies which are all there. I really wish I could be more tangible and put my finger on it, other than to maybe blame the style change and a desire to be more "mature" sounding. It's a rare gift that Stacy and Sherri have been given, and I just ope they aren't fearful of being labeled or pigeon-holed as being this sweet, ballad band that can't rock or whatever. What they do best, no-one else can do in today's music - not Coldplay or Keane- and I hope that they consider returning to that which they do best.

I bought this album toward the end of 2009, so I was a little late. It's hard for me to review this album. It is good on one hand, but not so much on the other. Some of the songs are really good (Invasion, I Could Be There For You), but others I don't like much at all (Many Funerals, Taking Control); then there are the rest of the songs which are kind of just decent. I really loved Eisley's "Room Noises" album, but this one sounds a lot different to me. I found it a bit disappointing that the songs didn't have that same melodic, magical feel to it. I know the girls have grown up so the songs on this newer album are more mature, but to me that makes it lose some of it's appeal. It also seemed like some of the lyrics of the song on this album were repetitive, unlike their former album. I did like this album quite a bit for a little while, but the songs got really old to me and now it's to the point that I skip them when they come up on my mp3 player shuffle. On the other hand, I can listen to the "Room Noises" album songs still after all these years. I still give this album 4 stars, because even when Eisley's songs are average (for them), they are still good.

Eisley wastes no time moving beyond its fluffy debut. "Many Funerals" opens Combinations with soaring, minor-key vocals, a pounding cut-time riff, and a decidedly dark subject. The subsequent tracks are equally strong, with driving drums, back-scratching piano breaks, and the siblings' signature cascading harmonies. Witness "A Sight to Behold" - the Corrs could take a few lessons here on how to layer vocals without losing the rock edge. Stacy, Chantelle, Sherri, Weston, and Garron DuPree may be young, but Eisley is no Hannah Montana wanna-be. Fans of Fleetwood Mac, Yes, the Corrs, and the Raspberries will find a haven here.