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Eisley has had a few years to purge their demons and have come out on the other side stronger. 2011’s comparatively angry and jaded The Valley was preceded by their split with Warner Bros. Records and various band members’ personal problems, which provided fodder for that record. You had to wonder if the Eisley of old was gone forever. Their latest release, Currents, should not only relieve fans’ fears that the band is losing their magic, but also prove that the trials they faced helped them release a towering achievement of an album that would not have been possible had things gone smoothly.
Currents finds the DuPree clan—sisters Sherri, Stacy and Chauntelle, their brother Weston and cousin Garron—rediscovering the musical dreaminess of their earlier releases, while using their newly acquired maturity to plumb richer, deeper lyrical and emotional depths than ever. The piano-led pop finale “Shelter” uses hauntingly simple lyrics like “Nowhere feels like somewhere when I’m in your arms,” to show how powerful love can be, and the following bridge from “Save My Soul” will make the hairs on your neck stand both times it is sung, first by Stacy and then by the quintet:
Swinging from the background
Swelling from beneath
What was in the darkness
Blooming underneath
Rising from the ashes
Waking all the dead
Tearing through the sadness
Ringing through my head
The title track is vintage Eisley, combining sexy and groovy alternative rock with ethereal guitars to great effect, and “Blue Fish” reminds listeners that there are few bands who do a better job of mixing lush keys with thrumming rock music. But they step out of their comfort zone as well, with hints of jazz appearing in “Drink the Water” and a combination of hypnotic beats and gorgeous strings taking “The Night Comes” to impressive new territory for the band. This delicate balancing act—staying within their wheelhouse at times and taking the right risks when venturing in new directions at others—is done expertly.
As for the DuPree sisters, this trio of sirens is as magical as ever whether they are singing individually or combining their powers to create heavenly miniature choruses. Stacy’s husky sweet vocals entrance you, Sherri takes her trademark over-enunciation to breathtaking new heights, and although Chauntelle often takes a back seat to the other two, the way she complements their voices on this album is spine-tingling.
