Efren is a folk group hinting on the psychedelic, from areas around Athens, GA. Reaching out into the musical world with introspective lyrics and brooding energy, Efren entertains on many levels. In the past few month efren has recorded, released and supported the debut album ‘Thunder and Moan' and now has a follow up EP ‘Always Been a Bleeder'. The recorded albums are hard and quiet, while the live show invigorates the music and delves deeper into the compositions, exploring the sonic textures.
The players of this music have roots in jazz and blues, folk, bluegrass and rock. Efren touches on Southern Americana music, draws from indie lo-fi ideas, and respects the multitudes of great songwriters of our past. The music created is lyrically driven, but emotionally wandering. Stories of trying to lose love, dreams of family past, tall boys, gambling, and whiskey stills…
"…can invoke a trance-like state, similar to Bon Iver or Iron and Wine. The songs on Always Been a Bleeder are a gorgeous compilation of introspective, folk rock that injects a psychedelic dose into the standard southern groove."
~Nadia Lelutiu, Silver Tongue
"Roots with occasional layered vocals, his sound is that of one who's lived through much and dug into the depths of his heart to share it with us."
~Echoryn of Athens .com
"Efren's acoustic guitar and occasionally despairingly dark lyricism deliver the opposite of so much tacky "Americana" and "New Roots" music. Rather than reinforce a feeling of place and point-of-view, they amplify the supreme disconnectedness that overwhelms everyone intermittently and a few of us permanently. In it, even things held in hand seem just out of reach."
~Gordon Lamb, Flagpole
Efren is presented as a full band, duo, or solo. All formations intrigue ideas and experiences that affect the audience and venues with new sounds and performances. The band is currently performing around the Southeast, with plans of venturing out into the heart of the US and Europe in late 2010. Please, check out Efren.
