Combinations

Wrote this awhile ago. Really basic what-I-think-of-the-best-album-of-2007.

Now that I've listened to it nonstop since Friday and have most of the songs memorised, I feel I can describe it somewhat. It's your choice to read this so be prepared for a lengthy Eisley-praising session, though I'll try not to be biased, and also say what I don't like. =)

First of all, Combinations is a very good name for this album because so many of the songs are so different from each other and they've changed a lot since the old one. You can almost divide this record into several parts.
Stacy and Sherri's vocals and harmonies are still exquisite, and Sherri sounds somwhat less harsh than before (see Telescope Eyes) and you can really hear the glassiness of her voice. Stacy sounds as rich and sultry as before; she and her keyboard "own" this CD...And finally Chauntelle sings! Just a little bridge on I Could Be There For You, but it's very pretty. At the end of Come Clean, the whole band sings, including the guys.

Someone on their site says about their voices -
Stacy - peanut butter
Sherri - jelly
Chauntelle - the milk to wash it down
Kind of silly but it's a good description...

Ok, now song by song.

1 - Many Funerals
2 - Invasion
3 - Taking Control
4 - Go Away
5 - I Could Be There For You
6 - Come Clean
7 - Ten Cent Blues
8 - A Sight to Behold
9 - Combinations
10 - If You're Wondering

Many Funerals - I love this one! It's a lot darker and somewhat heavier than they usually do, and is quite sad...it's about someone who's grown up at sea and someone dies. "How could you have left us here, you had friends, had us, good bye...good bye...good bye..." It sounds kind of like a flood, but that doesn't really make sense.

And now they have no chances
They fill the empty caskets
And leave you with your tears
And, oh, now we take our chances
We all will take more chances
Before our lives end, too

Invasion - Based on the Invasion of the Body Snatcher by Jack Finney....the music video for it is amazing. The song is half mysterious, half panicked, half hopeful. "They will try to make us forget ourselves; one by one, one by one. You don't have to know the truth, if you believe it, I believe it too."

Taking Control - Really cool sounding...I don't like how repetitive the lyrics are but it's got awesome harmony and just a lot of the traditional-to-Eisley "ooooooh ahhh ooooh whoaa" thing which is lovely. (yes that sounds silly...it's not)

Go Away - Kind of sad but really cute song. With a lot of Eisley vocal weirdness, during the chorus....the high breaking voices. And the bridge is really neat!

I Could Be There For You - I think this is going to become an Eisley staple like Marvelous Things on the first album. It's got really good (again, somewhat sad) lyrics, and Stacy's voice is just wicked, as is Chauntelle finally singing. "Would someone please walk through with me? I've got nothing to hide, no where to be. Why do we have to come through here? Cause nothing leads me to you. You are nothing what you seem, you're always looking out for me, and I could be there for you."

Come Clean - I still love it of course but this is probably my least favourite on Combinations. Somewhat repetitive lyrics and stuff. But their voices are clear as usual and Stacy sounds especially good at the beginning.

Ten Cent Blues - My FAVOURITE song on the album....at first I just liked it because of the lyrics since I connected with them a lot, but then just fell in love with the whole song...Stacy at her best, and you can tell it's one of her writing as well as her voice, since it's so abstract. "Dear orthodox, I can't control my feelings. And who hit me? I just might be coming round the bush." *sigh* love this track.

A Sight to Behold - This song is evilly amazing. Again, heavy for Eisley. A lot of plain vocalisations. Cool lyrics. There's one point when the music stops and they hold one note for a really long time with a strong harmony and it's like WOW. This song's got power y'all =P
"Let's break the walls down and find how to live; cause you and I have so much to give"

Combinations - *sigh* Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. It has a lot of exotic instruments in it and is just really pretty. The verses, bridge, and chorus are all different in tune and words and it's so varied and lovely. Um, I cried the first time I heard it...
'Pass the evening, bring tomorrow
How could we know that night would bring us into daylight
Combinations all around us
Fill our heads with the love we've been feeling
For time long past.

I went for so long
And I was so wrong
And then I met you
And now I can't live without you
And I don't want to
I've done that all my life up till now"

And the best part, the bridge, which Stacy sings. "All the time darling now oh, all the time, now we'll have to make it up, we'll make it up oh, all the days darling now oh, all the days, now we'll have to make them up, we'll make them up somehow..." It's probably my favourite part of the CD, just that bridge.

If You're Wondering - A cross between a lullaby and a love song. Eisley has said "when in doubt of the meaning of a song, it's a love song" so that goes for a lot of them. This one is really light and melodic. "If the moon shines on you while you're sleeping; it will show you all that you're feeling inside. And if I'm wondering then you show me; if you're wondering, I know."


The whole CD is lush, breathtaking, metaphorical, and just beautiful. I love Eisley =) They started out by playing in their church's worship team, and then playing as a band in a coffee shop. And they are huge Starbucks fans (and self professed cereal addicts). All of them (especially Sherri and Weston) are hilarious, Stacy writes the most beautiful writer, and Sherri is my favourite artist and has inspired me a lot with her drawings. They're still somewhat of a struggling band but are working their way up there. They've been a band since Stacy was 8, and she's 18 now. She wrote the first song.


I hope I've convinced you to at least listen on their myspace =) But it's really bad quality and actually may be different recordings cause it doesn't sound as good.
with love,
Cait

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