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 Post subject: In devotion to Eisley...Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:46 pm 
This is for comedy more than anything else...but tonight, whilst slightly intoxicated, I cried in defense of Eisley! I attended an Eisley concert in Akron a couple of weeks ago with my boyfriend Maynie, and tonight Maynie's friend started insulting him for going to such a "girly concert that only lesbians would usually attend." (He didn't say these exact words, but what he said implies this...only in a more crude way.) Anyway, he's a big joker and I know he was kidding, but I still started crying haha. But anywho, to spark a conversation...do you think Eisley is a girly band? Also, the boy who made this comment graduated from college with a degree in Ohio State's music program and is honestly a very gifted musician, and I think he dislikes Eisley's music for it's "simplicity." In response, I told him that Eisley provides music which is beautiful, and that you don't need complex riffs and such to make a band "good." What do you think? _________________ www.kailahandler.bandcamp.com |
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Joined: 28 Jan 2005 | Posts: 1813 |
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 6:01 pm
Argh!! I hate when people say that bands are too simple. Right plenty of bands are but in my opinion, who cares.. if they don't go out of the world crazy on guitar, or whatever instrument, if they have great lyrics? Loads of great songs have these amazing story-like lyrics, and simple chords. I mean, maybe since that guy is a musical genius, he is really critical of that sort of thing? Anyway.. your question! I don't think they are. When I hear girly, though, I think of sissy, which I definitely don't think they are. Their songs are written by girls, though, soo.... maybe it's easier for girls to connect? Or maybe some guys just hear the fairy tale songs and harmonies and think, "WHOA... GIRL BAND PINK PINK... TOO MUCH GIRL...love cuteness bunnies and rainbows" and don't give it a chance? (obviously lots of guys, do... because they do have guy fans... like the ones here  ..)
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Joined: 10 Feb 2007 | Posts: 2907 | Location: Maryland
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 6:10 pm
I know, it's so ridiculous to me... I've listened to Eisley since I was in Eight grade (now I'm a junior in college) so I know that I've just grown up with them and that's part of their appeal for me...but I still don't see how someone can listen to them and not acknowledge their way with harmonies and what not...so much of their music has a beautiful, yet ominous feel to it, which is what I love. Also, I suppose I can see how more girls can relate...but still I think that's only because of the female vocals. Personally, I think most guys stray from dominantly female bands because they assume it is "girl music." I hate it! _________________ www.kailahandler.bandcamp.com |
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Joined: 28 Jan 2005 | Posts: 1813 |
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 6:34 pm
I don't know either! Also.. this just reminded me of this really snotty girl from AP.net that was bashing Eisley (from top to bottom, side to side.. slaying them) and pretty much said how they are not known for their music, which is just mediocre blah blah blah girl was jealous and stupid. And I get it. People have different opinions, which is cool. Not everyone is going to agree, or be pleased all the time, or at all, by a band. But, I don't know how someone could not see that they are talented as individuals and a band. They clearly are. Especially when you consider how much they've grown from when they first started out. You know, though.. it's very strange. Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins always thought he wrote more from a female point of view than a male, yet he was obviously singing as a man in a band (dominated by men; one girl) and guys had no problem opening liking them. Hope I made a point there.. it's so late I can't be so sure. |
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Joined: 10 Feb 2007 | Posts: 2907 | Location: Maryland
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:00 pm
I'm a manly man and I love Eisley!  _________________ 
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Joined: 26 Jan 2006 | Posts: 2599 | Location: GA
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:26 pm
johnip wrote: I'm a manly man and I love Eisley! |
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Joined: 23 Aug 2007 | Posts: 2890 | Location: Oregon
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:19 pm
All of my male friends who I've tried to convert to Eisley were immediately off-put by the female vocals. But I have a "musical genius" guy-friend at Berklee in Boston who saw Eisley play there this tour, and he thought they were really good live. I guess the reason we love Eisley so much is because they're not just some girl band. There's so much rhythm and edge to their music, which becomes more apparent when you see them live than it does just by playing "Marvelous Things" for someone on your iPod... _________________ Taylor | @thbrogan http://inconnumag.com |
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009 | Posts: 511 | Location: Chicago / DC
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Post subject: Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:07 pm
kLafied wrote: Also, I suppose I can see how more girls can relate...but still I think that's only because of the female vocals. Personally, I think most guys stray from dominantly female bands because they assume it is "girl music." I hate it! Consulting my favorite artists/bands list, 10 of the 20 have lead female vocals. How's that for equal opportunity listening. Looking at my Last.fm charts, the stuff I actually listen to, and the ratio tilts even more with a whopping 21 of my 30 most played bands being fronted by women.
I appreciate the beauty of Eisley's voices and their harmonies because I'm a sucker for melodic rock. It's not far removed from what the Beach Boys and Beatles were doing, why should it be any different because they're women? To any moron who thinks guys listening to chick rock is "gay," I point out that guys listening to some dude warble out a love song seems a hundred times gayer to me, if they're going to tie music to sexual orientation. 
But it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing, so while I like the singing ladies it's the songs that count. I'm also a big Rush fan, a band which is about as technically complex a rock band as you will find with a dozen notes per second and unheard-of time signatures. I'm amazed whenever I analyze an Eisley song (usually to try and learn to play it) at how simple the chord structures are, because it never sounds that way. I believe that's because Eisley's songs are sonically complex. Layers of chiming guitars, keyboards, vocal tracks, bass and drums, plus strings, Marxophone, dulcimer, or whatever else they find in the attic: there's a lot going on in those songs, giving them that mysteriously magical quality. It takes some real songwriting skill to turn a 2 or 3 chord song into something unique. Eisley are definitely different to my ears. I still have not heard any other band that really sounds like them. This is the perfect thread to pull out my favorite quote by a LCitizen regarding Eisley: MichaelMakeArt wrote: "It's hard to sell genuine, pure, loveliness because people either think it's too shallow or too strange. Us fans know otherwise." _________________ http://www.twitter.com/drstrangeblog http://www.last.fm/user/getinline I can't find the time to write my mind the way I want it to read. |
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Joined: 05 Mar 2008 | Posts: 2003 | Location: Iowa
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 3:56 am
I guess this is an interesting discussion. I don't care if music is "simple", I only care if I like the songs. And w/ Eisley, even if I took away the lyrics, I still think the underlying music is great. I don't expect to find great meaning in their words, or anybody's words really. I appreciate someone like Springsteen for the stories he tells, but I can listen to Bollywood music or other world music, not understand a word of what they're singing & still get a happy feeling from the music. So, for example,I watched Chauntelle play her guitar--she's not doing anything very complex up there. But before I ever knew anything about Eisley and just heard the music, I was sucked in by the harmonies and vocal interplay between Sherri and Stacy. There are certain groups (and very often family groups) where the members know each other so well that their vocals and playing mesh naturally- it's really more an instinctual thing. And so what sounds simple is really more a byproduct of being in a certain comfort zone. I don't even think the song structures are simple-- they can turn from soft to hard/pounding pretty much on a dime. Girly music? Come on... they're not singing about unicorns or their boy crushes. I suppose a group like Sleater-Kinney is "girly music", but their sound is more muscular (and way more complex) than most any guy-fronted band anywhere... Making the distinction between girly music and anything else is probably for younger, insecure people. When you get older, and Kaila, maybe your boyfriend will learn this, you don't categorize music that way. Regardless of the genre, you like something because it connects to you on a visceral level. I'm just a little over 50, and I smile just as much when I listen to Eminem on my Ipod as I do listening to Miranda Lambert or the Shangri-Las or... Girls singing, guys singing? what do I care? Oh, gotta go-- I hear Eminem calling... |
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Joined: 11 Nov 2010 | Posts: 57 |
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:13 am
I want to know what would make Eisley's music simple? I totally disagree. Listen to The Valley. The turnaround from the bridge is absolutely brilliant. _________________ Say something witty, dammit! http://kimschaefer.bandcamp.com/ http://youtube.com/kimschaefermusic |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2006 | Posts: 735 | Location: chicago
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:35 am
People who complain about Eisley being "simple" are probably talking about the rhythm section. It's true. The bass and drums in Eisley are usually very simple, but I think it's necessary. Anything crazy in the background would take away from what Eisley does best: Smooth sliding harmonies, killer melodies, heart wrenching lyrics... They aren't a jam band, and they aren't techno. One thing I will say about Weston and Garron... they are precise. I would notice if they were sloppy, and they are not. Too girly? Most Eisley fans I know, are guys. A lot of my friend-girls tell me that Eisley sounds too creepy, especially their early stuff. _________________ You can't find love; you have to create it. Flickr |
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Joined: 31 May 2004 | Posts: 2018 | Location: Sacramento, CA
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:14 am
kLafied wrote: Also, I suppose I can see how more girls can relate...but still I think that's only because of the female vocals. Personally, I think most guys stray from dominantly female bands because they assume it is "girl music." I hate it! Let's see... music I've listened to recently.. (and this is pretty much comprehensive) Eisley Christie DuPree Vedera Anna Ternheim A Fine Frenzy Ives the Band Lalagray Erin McCarley Pomplamoose Imogen Heap Sarah Blasko Annie Little I feel slightly one-sided... _________________ Trying to find my way around a dark life, always breaking the important things... |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2005 | Posts: 639 | Location: Mason City, IA
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:27 am
I consider Eisley more subtle than simple. Of course, few people seem to pay attention to how powerful the rhythm section is live. I've seen Weston and Garron/Jon win over many rockers. I believe that "backbone," as I call it, helps them overcome inhibitions involving female vocalists. With everything just cranking it up to 11 these days, it's nice that some people still understand the value of nuance. _________________ My photography:www.jamiemphoto.com You can't spell awesome without emo...backwards! -Julie definingawesome (11:44:11 PM): Eisley shivers our timbers |
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Joined: 15 Aug 2003 | Posts: 25184 | Location: East Texas
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:38 am
TheAntrider wrote: I consider Eisley more subtle than simple. Of course, few people seem to pay attention to how powerful the rhythm section is live. I've seen Weston and Garron/Jon win over many rockers. I believe that "backbone," as I call it, helps them overcome inhibitions involving female vocalists.
With everything just cranking it up to 11 these days, it's nice that some people still understand the value of nuance. "subtle than simple" - great way to put it! And a bit of what Cynthia was saying, anything sounding too "overly done" musically would kind of overshadow the harmonies and lyrics. I think that's definitely a main focus with them, those damn sweet harmonies/melodies/lyrics/etcetcetc. |
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Joined: 10 Feb 2007 | Posts: 2907 | Location: Maryland
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Post subject: Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:05 am
cynlovescandy wrote: Too girly? Most Eisley fans I know, are guys. A lot of my friend-girls tell me that Eisley sounds too creepy, especially their early stuff. Haha, that's true, I've read some reviews on RYM where people are kinda freaked by the "weird lyrics." The mysterious/ominous photography & artwork on those early EPs probably contributed to the perceived creepy vibe. Even the 'Room Noises' art - Children of the Corn as some boardies put it. 
I remember an interview from around when Room Noises came out where Sherri was asked what a common misperception was about Eisley and she said, "Some people seem to think we're some kind of cult. But we're not! We're really nice!" 
sully_51 wrote: Let's see... music I've listened to recently.. (and this is pretty much comprehensive) Sarah Blasko  No way! And to think, if a bomb had gone off at Java Joe's then her total US fanbase would've been reduced by 50%. (That's just a rough estimate.) _________________ http://www.twitter.com/drstrangeblog http://www.last.fm/user/getinline I can't find the time to write my mind the way I want it to read. |
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Joined: 05 Mar 2008 | Posts: 2003 | Location: Iowa
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