Eisley @ Park West, May 2

If you ask a band what their influences are these days, you’ll likely hear The Beatles, The Stones, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Velvet Underground, and Disney songs. OK, the Disney part might be a stretch, but one band from Tyler, Texas, made up solely of four siblings and one cousin, does put their love of classic Disney music to use in amazing ways. Eisley’s sound may be a bit difficult to pick apart at first, but after a little digging, you’ll find traces of 70’s pop, Radiohead, and they even cite Jeremy Enigk (of The Fire Theft and formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate) as an influence. “I'm very into old lullabies and music from musicals and old Disney films which are so melodic and nostalgic sounding,” says vocalist/guitarist Sherri DuPree, “So that is always influencing me. One of my favorite movies ever, because of the music, is Disney's "Babes in Toyland" which came out in the early 60's. The songs are genius!” With a sound that throws classic Disney music into the mix, you can be sure to expect something unique.

On their latest album, Combinations, they embrace a harder sound than what was heard on their first album. Sherri jokes by saying, “It was unavoidable since we started listening to so much Slayer and Metallica. I'm kidding, but I think it just had to do with maturing as young adults and also wanting to push our sound farther than we had yet.” This also shows in their hardcore work ethic, which is putting them on tour for all of May in support of their latest album and its companion EP, Like The Actors, which was released in December. So is album number three going to be a balls-to-the-wall metal album? “No worries, it won’t be an angry album completely because some of us have since fallen in love completely and I've already been writing the sappiest most honest love songs of my life because of it.” Good thing, because some of Eisley’s best music is their softest (check out the title track from Combinations for evidence of that). As their sound is growing up with them, now with a more emotionally raw third album in the works, you could grow with them as well. Be sure to check them out tomorrow night at Park West - they won’t disappoint! - Neil Miller, Jr.