New Vibrations: Eisley

Although The Valley is Texas band Eisley’s third album, they do not lose what makes them unique and what endeared them to listeners from the very beginning.

The same haunting harmonies and unexpected, but surprisingly brilliant melodies that seduce their fans drench each carefully crafted song, the notes all fitting together to create the otherworldly quality for which they are known.

The indie band, made up of four sisters and a cousin, gets more personal than any of their previous albums have before, capitalizing on personal experience to come up with lyrics like “If I sound angry, I’m sorry / This body can only cry for so long,” on the second track, “Smarter.”

Instead of fairy tales and imaginative fiction, as the subjects of their previous albums have been, they bring their trials, heartbreak, and failures to the table this time, infusing a personal meaning into the lyrics.

Eisley’s music hasn’t become “emo” by any means, but there’s a maturity that hadn’t been there in either Room Noises or Combinations.

The two lead singers, Sherri and Stacy DuPree, have beautifully clear and almost childish voices that enunciate to perfection, never leaving the listeners unsure of what they are saying.

However, just because their voices are clear does not mean they’re not intense when they sing lyrics like, “Bones crack and fingers blister” in “Mr. Moon,” or “You’ll be left broken and bleeding from the heart when he doesn’t come home” in the creatively titled “Sad.”

Eisley does a lot of vocal layering throughout their album, creating harmonies with an instrumental backing that doesn’t overpower them, but rather balances the songs.

They have found the perfect blend of instruments to show off their voices and their talents.

Their music, different and something that is difficult to find elsewhere, is something that people definitely shouldn’t pass up without listening to at least once.

They’re not afraid to go against the norm and do something different, and not only do they infuse their entire album with their take on indie music, but they also do it well.

And while the lyrics may be a bit darker or more solid than what people have come to expect from Eisley, sharing intimate details about lost love and new opportunities, they never lose the innocence that marked their beginning in their first album.

They’re never jaded, they never rail against the unfairness of life and they never try and gain the audience’s pity.

All they do is tell the story of their lives, what they’ve done to get over their heartbreak and how they’re moving on together and creating something beautiful from their experiences.

This album is intimately gorgeous, and many people can relate to the lyrics.

They don’t tell of specific incidents, but general stories that people can interpret as they see fit.

Eisley seeks to not only understand their own lives, but also to tell stories for everyone in The Valley.

Through their use of instruments and overlapping vocals, they succeed wildly in their storytelling, both in content as well as the quality of the music itself.

The Valley is an album that people can listen to after a difficult day. The lyrics and, more importantly, the music that Eisley creates immediately pull the listeners into the mood and make them want to listen to the album all the way through.

Not only that, but this isn’t a record that can be put away on the shelf after one listen.

After hearing it through once, you’ll immediately hit replay again and again, just to get another taste of the unique way the DuPrees’ voices blend together to create a tantalizing listening experience.