Performed by Eisley Rated 4.0/5.0, based on 10 reviews. Buy from Amazon: New price: $14.27 Used price: $8.99

Just as good as Room Noises
Rating: 5/5
At first I wasn't too pleased with this sophomore effort, but then it REALLY grew on me. The album is way too short but has very little if any filler. This still has that dreamy Eisley sound to it, it gives you the feeling that you're in a fairytale or something.

Standout tracks (ranked):
#1 - If you're wondering
#2 - Invasion
#3 - Combinations
#4 - Many Funerals
#5 - Come Clean
#6 - Taking Control

The rest of the songs are just kind of so so, I don't mean they're bad they're still Eisley, but they lack the charm and get repetitive.

There's a bonus DVD, too...
Rating: 5/5
I'll begin by reviewing the bonus DVD, since no one's mentioned it yet. The bonus DVD includes a "making of" video, the "Memories" video, and live concert footage (8 tracks). The "making of" video consists of snippets from the recording sessions in Richard Gibbs' studio. You get to see the band in some unguarded moments, and get to hear their voices totally raw without any embellishment. Interesting, possibly inspirational for die-hard fans, but nothing earth-shattering. Funny that they spelled Chautelle's name wrong in the band introduction section ("Chantel").

The "Memories" video is the same one that's been out since "Room Noises." It's got some pretty cool, whimsical CGI, which adds to the emotional punch of the song. For those--like myself--who've only seen the video on Youtube, it's nice to have it in a higher quality format; however the aged-film effect takes away some of the sparkle.

The 8 live video tracks are from a performance at the Ventura Theater. The quality is pretty good, with multiple cameras used and decent sound quality. The songs are mostly from "Room Noises," but also include "Mr. Pine," "Head Against the Sky," and "Like the Actors." "Like the Actors" is a gem of a song which I had not heard before, and is one of my favorites from this CD-DVD combo. I had heard "Mr. Pine" before; it's a song that lyrically is more "Room Noises," but seems musically closer to "Combinations." "Head Against the Sky" is a more convetional pop-rock song, and to me it lacks some of the Eisley magic. The live concert footage ends with a version of Trolleywood in which members of the opening acts join in on keyboards, guitar and tambourines and, shockingly, don't totally screw up the song.

All in all, the bonus DVD is well worth the additional bucks, though I do prefer the yellow artwork of the regular CD over the blue of the Limited Edition.

The Combinations CD is a strong, if short, collection of songs. "Many Funerals" is a powerful opener that, 45 seconds in, serves notice that we're not in "Room Noises" any more. Singing "Break, break down..." over an aural frenzy establishes the DuPrees' new, crunchier sound. Transitioning to such a new sound could easily come off as contrived and calculated, but Eisley seems to have pulled it off, making it sound like a natural evolution of their style.

The next songs; "Invasion," "Taking Control," and "Go Away" continue in that vein, though the crunch has been turned down a few degrees. These three songs will all grab you with their strong hooks, invade your brain, take control of your "hum-o-thalmus," and will simply refuse to go away.

The next song, "I Could Be There For You," opens with uncharacteristically timid singing, and the lyrical phrasing seems to be forced. However, the song builds to a soaring crescendo. One of my least favorite songs on the album, but I'm sure it'll be loved by many.

"Come Clean" is an anthem to honesty and forthrightness, and is possibly the most accessible tune to the wider potential Eisley audience that hasn't heard the band before. It features the entire band, guys and all, joining in on the chorus.

"Ten Cent Blues" is a bouncy, beautiful tune with a hint of country twang (in the guitars, not the vocals). Stacy's voice has rarely sounded sweeter, even as she belittles "the other woman." ("She is cheesy/she is scrawny") This being Eisley, though, the song ends on a positive note, without bitterness or the contemplation of suicide (or murder).

"A Sight to Behold" is a powerful paen to love with a primal beat and tribal "ooooOoooOhhOhhOooooOhhhOhhs" thrown in for good measure. Producer Richard Gibbs's experience in scoring movies is evident with bursts of strings adding punch to the bridge, which leads into a final, soaring chorus that never descends from the song's dizzying heights.

"Combinations" is left with the task of bringing the listener back down to earth, and it does so with gentleness and grace. Sherri's warm vocals combine with rich instrumentation to bring it down a notch, or four, and prepare the listener for...

... the final song, "If You're Wondering," which is a lullaby complete with gentle chimes and a watchful moon. This song can best be described as "lovely" which, come to think of it, can be used to describe all of the songs on this album, from the quiet closer to the rollicking opener. This is one band, and album, that I can highly recommend to anyone, of any age or background.

Eisley
Rating: 5/5
Great band, and an excellent sophomore effort. I hope Eisley's not dumping their fantastical lyrics for more commercial appeal. In any case, Combinations is one heck of an album and the band is fabulous.

"Lets give it a try, let's keep it the truth"
Rating: 3/5
Alright, I'm going to "come clean" with this review. I loved the first Eisley debut Album "Room Noises". If you don't believe me, you can see my glowing review. I even pre-ordered my copy of "combinations". But after I've listened to "Combinations" for a few times all the way through, I'm left disappointed. It just doesn't seem to have the "heart" and "soul" of what we've come to expect from Eisley. The album is not all that bad... but it's only half as good as "Room Noises". There are a couple of songs on this album that are pretty good. If you've never heard of Eisley and "combinations" was the first album you heard from them, you'd probably think that this album was pretty good too. I wish the best for this band, and I hope they achieve success and break through into the mainstream. They have great potential, but I'm positive that this album doesn't exemplify or showcase their true talents in the best light. The song "Invasion" is probably the song that comes the closest to the goal. It certainly is the most "radio friendly", so I think they made the right choice to select it as the single. "Come Clean" is another great track from this album that would make a good single in my humble opinion.

A few more things that detract from the album is the fact that it is so short. Others have mentioned this as well, but this really is a big weakness. The lyrics on this album also seemed like they were less thought through and repetitive. They also weren't as creative, whimsical, or interesting as previous Eisley songs. The biggest weakness, and the one that is most saddening is the lack of heart. The songs really don't touch the soul or stir emotions like many of the older Eisley songs do. That was really what set them apart from other bands and I think that's what keeps this album from being great. Sorry, but that's the truth.