On
I'm Only Dreaming,
Eisley balance big changes with longstanding traditions. In 2015, founding members
Chauntelle D'Agostino and
Stacy King left to pursue their own projects, while
Weston DuPree decided to no longer tour with the band. That left
Sherri DuPree-Bemis and her cousin
Garron DuPree as
Eisley's remaining full-time members; while some musicians might decide to start fresh in a situation like this, the duo uses what could have been a crisis as inspiration to continue. Not surprisingly, many of
I'm Only Dreaming's songs are about heartache and change. "I usually give up so easily,"
DuPree-Bemis sings on "Defeatist," and the bittersweet feelings continue on "My Best Friend," "Always Wrong," and "Brightest Fire," which are some of the most quintessentially
Eisley-sounding songs here. The band fare better when they broaden their horizons: "You Are Mine" leans into alt-rock, while the electronic and R&B influences on "Louder Than a Lion" and "Sparking" work surprisingly well.
I'm Only Dreaming's brightest highlight is "A Song for the Birds," a bright guitar pop song featuring
DuPree-Bemis' husband,
Say Anything's
Max Bemis, that feels like a sequel to their previous collaboration
Perma. Moments like this suggest that this incarnation of
Eisley sounds best when they're creating new traditions. ~ Heather Phares
