Room Noises (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Casey Prestwood (steel guitar); Edward Harbor (hand claps).

Audio Mixer: Jerry Finn.

Photographers: Boyd DuPree; Justin Stephens.

The anticipation surrounding ROOM NOISES, Eisley's first full-length album, didn't come as a surprise to those who had heard the band's 2003 EPs LAUGHING CITY and MARVELOUS THINGS. These early releases not only landed the group plenty of magazine coverage, but got them personally invited to tour with Coldplay. This unusually quick success might seem odd given the hype around the band's make-up--a twentysomething quintet of four siblings and a family friend. Thankfully, rather than ending up as a prefabricated act, this Texas ensemble instead delved into intelligently written twee-pop with an ethereal twist that brings up names like the Sundays, Mazzy Star, and Rilo Kiley.

The gorgeous, intertwining vocals of sisters Sherri and Stacy DuPree, offer plenty of bright, shiny moments throughout this debut, ranging from the yearning "My Lovely" and the jangly, up-tempo rocker "Plenty of Paper" to the harmony-soaked, strolling "Trolley Wood" and the noirish "Telescope Eyes." Most impressive is the pop-perfect nugget "Golly Sandra," a whimsical number wrapped in lazy pedal-steel guitar, tambourines, and that stellar confluence of vocals. All ROOM NOISES should sound as beautiful. minimize