It has been exciting to watch Eisley grow over the last few years. They went from playing the New Band Showcase stage at Cornerstone Festival in 2002 to touring with Coldplay to signing with Warner Brothers. It has been a long road, but Eisley is finally releasing their first full-length album. 2003's pair of EPs (Laughing City and Marvelous Things) showed great promise of things to come and Room Noises does everything possible to make good on that promise.
As the album opens, we quickly see that this Eisley is really no different than the band we found a couple of years ago. Bright, almost haunting vocals (think Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer) supplied by the DuPree sisters soar above a musical bed that is both strangely dreamlike and easily accessible. It's music that can accomplish the same thing as tourmates Coldplay: a high level of artistry coupled with the potential for commercial success.
The first three songs on the album were carried over from the EPs. "Memories," "Telescope Eyes," and "I Wasn't Prepared for This" are very good songs, but the real treats begin flowing with track four, "Golly Sandra." It's a pop-inspired song that is closest to "Tree Tops" from the Laughing City EP. The song certainly bodes well for the rest of the album.
The gems are quite abundant on Room Noises. Picking a favorite is difficult amidst such a rich crowd of contestants. Some of the album's best moments are the wistful "Brightly Wound" ("I shall never grow up / Make believe is much too fun / Can we go far away to the humming meadow"), the warming "Lost at Sea" ("Congratulations / Cause we've made it / All the way home / And you know that / Until the stars fall / I will always love you"), and the insightful "Just Like We Do" ("We'll hold the hands of sinners and then we will pass").
Eisley provides a nice conclusion to Room Noises as well. "Trollywood" slows things down a bit, referring once more to the world of fairy tales, a theme that pervades much of the album. Eisley's songs take a keen interest in the differences and similarities between make believe and reality. The album's final track is a remix of "Lost at Sea," reminding us once more that we've finally made it.
I know Eisley has certainly made it. They took their sweet time in releasing Room Noises, but now that it's here, Eisley is poised for tremendous success. Let's just hope that the success has a positive effect on their music.
4.5 tocks
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