By Matt Jarrard
Missy fulfilled all her goals
Wine bags and a nice fake rolls
Cheap diamonds or tall boys and races
TV gets your mind, crumbles, and unlaces
Yeah, that’s the stuff of Athen’s Efren. Its the stuff of rural life, desperation, poverty, chances taken, opportunities missed…it’s dark, folky, americana. The gritty twanged vocals of Scott Leon-O’Day are complemented by a cleaner female counterpart, which brings to mind Buddy and Julie Miller or Audible Sigh era Vigilantes of Love.
The appropriately titled Always Been a Bleeder EP isn’t afraid to be uptempo, and is at times catchy, but always dark. 
There’s good players on this EP, but the vocals, and lyrical content are what shine through. Efren dabbles into experimental/folky ambiance, which helps set the mood for the last 2/5ths of the EP, and hints at an engaging, emotionally driven live show. Atlanta and Athens dates are plentiful throughout the summer and fall, with a few other southeastern regional shows sprinkled in, all are posted over at www.efrenmusic.com
Fans of Sun Kil Moon, Elliott Brood, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Woven Hand take listen, this will be up your alley. Next Tuesday, is a good place to start:
