Eisley mesmerizes with onstage magic

The group Eisley is known for the fantasy and wonder of its lyrics, but the magic was all onstage Friday night at the Paradise.

Exchanging rich harmonies over a whimsical dreamscape, sisters Sherri and Stacy Dupree supplied vocals that skipped and danced. Their sweet tones and hypnotizing diction put the crowd in a collective trance -- eyes relentlessly focused forward on the Texas-bred family act.

The songs, coming off last year's ''Room Noises," carried the same mesmerizing sweetness of the disc. The result was a sparkling mesh of ethereal alterna-pop tunes.

The highlights of last year's record, ''Marvelous Things" and ''Telescope Eyes," got the audience swaying. Sherri appeared to grow more enrapt with each strum of her guitar. Younger sister Stacy was a haunting presence onstage as her fingers pranced up and down her keyboard.

Comparisons to bands like Coldplay only skim the surface. Eisley's youth contributes an earnest sincerity that can't be compromised. For all the similarly silvery melodies, the group maintains the sort of vulnerability inherent in its age. This makes the thickly metaphorical fairy tales appear more sincere, like the child who still believes in the Easter bunny.

The most enchanting moment of the evening occurred at the close of the band's encore. In a refreshing act of gratitude, the Duprees obliged fans shouting to hear ''Trolley Wood." The fact that Sherri and sister guitarist Chauntelle had forgotten how to play the song -- they ditched their guitars for this number -- only enhanced the spontaneity. They were joined onstage by emo rockers Brighten, the opening act. Both bands grabbed whatever percussion instruments they could find and merrily played along to the clapping and snapping of the crowd. It was a harmonious moment where headliners, openers, and audience contributed to the sound in equal measure. There was a synergy so perfect it was chilling.