Artist: E.S.L
Album: Eye Contact
Label: Jericho Beach Music

Publicity: Killbeat Music

Reviewed By: Xanthe Couture (Edmonton Correspondent - Canada)

E.S.L's album Eye Contact is an interesting concept for a band and musical style.  All girl bands are typically hard to come by, especially ones that boast a cellist and a fiddler.

The band describes themselves as a "band of gypsies, performing uniquely orchestrated songs." The whole gypsy concept rings true, the uniquely orchestrated songs can also be agreed upon. The album is a medley of musical styles with some polish polka sounds, piano ballads and rocking cello and fiddle. But the finished product is not as amazing or different as one would think. 

Although E.S.L try to sound different, and they do in some respects, the vocal style sounds familiar and takes away from the unique composition of the songs.  

One of the problems with vocalists is to rely on one method of singing that blends in with the crowd of other artists. Female vocalists like Emily Haines from Metric and Leslie Feist have got away from this routine by using a variety of vocal styles to bring new energy into songs that sound anything but ordinary.

The four band members are obviously talented, they have all been in countless other bands and all contribute on this album by bringing their unique musical tastes and skills to the table.  

The album is a mix between slow emotional tracks like ‘Side By Side' and the Neil Diamond tune ‘Like a Hurricane'. The other portion of the album has a faster feel like fiddle tango for beginners with tracks like ‘Secretariat' and ‘Prove Me Wrong'. ‘Czarne Ozcy' has a full blown Eastern European foray with vocals by the lead singer's Polish father for added affect. 

The song wrote by the cellist, ‘I Don't Buy It',  has some catchy lyrics and breaks out into an angry chorus which has an interesting sound given the cello and fiddle raging a la Arcade Fire.

All in all, this album is a mixed bag. There are elements to it that really stand out, such as the unique blend between old school instruments, Eastern European musical influences good writing and the composition of an all girl quartet.

There could be a lot more done with the talent in this group to make affecting music while still preserving the sound they have already created, minus the vocal styling. 

Track Listing:
1. Secretariat
2. Prove Me Wrong
3. I Don't Buy It
4. Side By Side
5. Princess vs. Dragon
6. Like a Hurricane
7. Walk With Me
8. Not About You
9. Venus in Furs
10. Czarne Oczy
11. Girls