Eils &The Drip are a Naarm six-piece formed by vocalist/songwriter Eileen Hodgkins (aka Eils) and today they’ve released their debut single ‘Easy Rider’ a lush, harmony-rich slice of soulful and gently rocking twang that brings to mind contemporaries such as Nikki Lane, Margo Price and Jaime Wyatt.

Eileen is a prolific figure on the local scene who, at the age of 13, hit the road with her three siblings in family band Perch Creek (originally The Perch Creek Family Jugband). Perch Creek toured nationally and internationally for more than ten years, releasing a couple of albums and playing numerous festivals.

A couple of years ago, having written a collection of songs and recording them in a shag-pile share-house lounge room (and around the same time she was becoming involved with Thornbury hard rocking blues-soul sensations Willie J & The Bad Books), Eileen brought together a few friends and former Perch Creek band mates to form Eils & The Drip. With Eileen’s partner Rick Steward featuring prominently on lap steel guitar and sister Camilla Hodgkins on keys, the new outfit’s sound is rich and full and features plenty of harmonies – at times with a twang reminiscent of Neil Young’s Harvest, Dylan’s Nashville Skyline or classic Emmylou Harris.