A family affair

In an unusually intimate show, Eisley gives the crowd a preview of Combinations

By Laura Leebove
Published: August 8th, 2007 | 9:05pm

August 7, 2007, in Chicago — Wooden and metal chairs lined the floor of Chicago’s Schubas Tavern, an unusual change for the tiny, standing-room-only venue. About a hundred fans, some looking slightly confused, quietly filled the seats and waited to be serenaded by Eisley, currently on an acoustic tour to promote the August 14, 2007, release of its sophomore album, Combinations (Reprise).

In the first of two consecutive shows (all ages at 7 p.m. and 21+ at 10 p.m.), the DuPree family — sisters Chauntelle, Sherri, and Stacy, brother Weston, and cousin Garron — started with “Come Clean,” one of the catchiest tracks from Combinations. Even though most of Eisley’s recordings use electric guitars and a full drum set, the acoustic versions of the songs flowed naturally, keeping the same gorgeous harmonies between 18-year-old Stacy’s alto voice and 23-year-old Sherri’s mezzo-soprano.

There was an obvious focus on the ladies, since bassist Garron, 17, and drummer Weston, 21, played in the background, and the girls took front and center. But the boys, each dressed in jeans, a button-down long-sleeve shirt with a tie, and a goofy trucker hat, shouldn’t be discredited, because though they sat out on a few songs, Weston’s hand drum and tambourine/hi-hat combo made the biggest difference in the band’s sound. But, it was pretty funny watching the guys when they weren’t playing, and a couple of times Weston looked like he had a Gameboy in his lap, which he very well might’ve.

About half of the 15-song set was from Combinations and based on the audience’s reaction, the album hasn’t leaked online yet, which is quite an accomplishment with only a few days left before its release. The new tracks aren’t a drastic change from 2005’s Room Noises (Reprise) ¬— at least not stylistically — but it was easy to hear that the band has done some growing up. Especially noticeable was Stacy’s voice in “Trolleywood,” from Room Noises, which sounded fuller and more soulful than in the 2005 recording.

Though Sherri and Stacy are usually the only singers, the oldest DuPree, 25-year-old Chauntelle, stepped up for a solo in “I Could Be There For You” from the new record. All of the girls performed mostly with their eyes shut, though there’s a chance that was to avoid the constant flashes from fans’ cameras. Eisley played eight of the record’s 10 tracks, including “Many Funerals,” “Taking Control,” and the first single, “Invasion,” along with Room Noises songs like “Telescope Eyes,” “Golly Sandra,” and “I Wasn’t Prepared,” which the crowd quietly sang along with.

It was a short set — about an hour long, not counting opener Wesley Jensen, who performed a few songs with vocal help from 17-year-old Christie DuPree — but with gorgeous melodies in such a relaxed setting, it was an hour well spent.