new songs for the world about ?

we spent friday night learning five new songs and they are all wonderful.
after just a few run thru's i feel great about 'em!!!
Rapids
Potholes (simple kiss)
Rise up and Melt
Over the Horizon
and Next Tuesday
wow.
love em.
here's a sneak peak...

Potholes (simple kiss) by efren

Like I told you long ago
I would never leave my mind
Inside the car I saw
All of the things we’d find
A better life and searching wife
Took us off in the night
Stole a bottle split the zone
All I see is the light

Potholes in two tracks
I hide up around the back
I’d leave you here
Probably out of fear

Barrels run dry til mornin’
Peace around me now
Can’t see thru the fog
Probably hit it with no doubt
Not really no way to think
But we can win this bout
I’d go all the way for this
Life will be a simple kiss.

Go on and pack your bags
It’s blowing in the wind
Creepin thick August heat
Up on the porch I’m your friend
Go up against any cause
Search me out and fight the boss
Poisoned corn and ruined sun
First learn yourself then buy that gun

Retired Preacher smoked the point
Off the laws of Georgia Clay
Schoolboy tied in the dark
Just believe you’ll get away
Revolution is in the air
Change my clothes cut my hair
I’d go all the way for this
Life will be a simple kiss

Potholes in two tracks
I’ll hide up around the back
I’d leave you here / I’d never leave you here
Probably out of fear / Revolution is near

stay high, efren
Roll over and face the beauty
Fight the fight, hold your home
Grow the shrubs and cut em down
Baby’s first steps on the town
Touch my leg under the night
Strength is the morning light

But ain’t it a shame about the wind
Or the morning fog that couldn’t stay
Gone way too soon unlike the moon
Tell the evening sky to stay high,
Tell her soon

Sing like you don’t care today
Leaves they will blow away,
Come back next year all brand new
Get ‘em all, give ‘em all a few
Horns sing our return to our wealth
Reflect on your mama’s health

Inside you feel sweet touches
Inside we build a fire
Fill my hand and blind my mind
Eat your fruits and unwind
Return the recipes of our island
We can always be human

Stay soon, stay high.

the boys are back

nice.
the efren band had their first performances since mid-December this week!!

First was the Athens Dance and Folk Society HOOT! @ Little Kings!!
For being folk fans they were a loud and talkative bunch. Great Show though and good to play a nice short 30 min. set to warm up for the rest of the week. Meet a wonderful lady songwriter, Caroline Aiken. wow.. she brings the wisdom of performance and storytelling i will to have one day.


next was the GO bar. with Mr. Adam Klein and friends
two great acts but slim turn out. but on that subject, i have decided to decrease athens shows (even though i just booked one Feb 12th at Farm 255), as to decrease supply, increase demand... i like the go bar and plan on hitting up more often.

Then the GRAND Finale
Java Monkey in ATL, decataur
with Besides Daniel, solo
This place is a small real cool coffee shop/bar/food joint with an enclosed patio with little gas fireplaces to heat it. small stage and PA, that works great, not the PA:) but the room/patio. tables and funny wooden bleachers, nice. and the had Bell's Porter on tap!!! yes.
Danny played a sweet set and the crowd grew and grew, and was extremely silent and attentive, great job!!! Danny is very talented and a superb songwriter, even though he has been thru alot recently (crazy tangled story)
Then we hit the stage rocked thru our set to great reception and had a blast. i think i may start posting set lists soon of shows so look out for that...

now it is time to finish demo's/preproduction on new EP!!
my voice has been kinda iffy lately, but seems to be coming around.
no performances til macon Jan. 29th duo style
then a biggun on Jan 30th at Flicker with Hola Halo

nice.
see ya real soon?!?

one sheet/bio...ya think??

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’. The recorded album is 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. Lyrically driven, but emotionally wandering. Stories of trying to lose love, dreams of family past, tall boys, gambling, and whiskey stills…

“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 performance. Efren is currently performing around the Southeast, and has plans of venturing out about the US and trying Europe in late 2010. Please, check out efren. ‘Thunder and Moan’

www.efrenmusic.com
www.reverbnation.com/efrenrock
www.efrenrock.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/efrenrock
www.myspace.com/efrenrock

770-316-4809

some goals

new years day is always the time to set new standards. I wanna do it.
2010 will be a great year. lets do it.

things i/we will accomplish...
New Full band EP to be released Spring 2010
Finish another full length to be released in early 2011
Play in 10 new cities
play 50 shows solo, duo, full band
Play no more than 3 times a month in Athens
find representations, label, booking, promo, management
book 4 solo tours
write music, songs, or blog everyday!
get an accountant
enjoy my wife and son all the time.
have more dinners with friends
drink and smoke less?
have monthly songwriter shows ala Man Gave Names to All the Animals
find time to be active and stay healthy
eat better
live

Hope we can all find happiness and fruitful success in 2010.
see ya soon...

Comin' on up.

Some upcoming events.
ALSO Jan. 14th @ GO bar w/ Adam Klein and friends!!!! pre-DBT party!!!
cmon...

which way to go...

today i had been thinking of writing a post about all the things i was grateful for and how i was to wish you all a grand holiday, but things have changed...

I learned this evening, Christmas Eve, of the coma and then soon passing of Vic Chesnutt, one of our town's/world's greatest songwriters. With rumors of OD and suicide swirling, i contemplate the life he led and the songs he has sewn. Chinaberry Tree. key players watchin... I sit and listen to his last release and wonder was it pain or frustrations that lead to this or his conditions and medical bills that weighed to heavy? I do know that one who has lain the seed of song for so long and given all he has to the tunes and walls of the venues of this world deserves more. but then is it to pass onto the next level that he will truly gain his due? or is his passing a lesson to us or me or the glorious struggle of the Athens' musician, that we are to lead our art to serve his legacy or did he want to call it quits after he had said all he had to say? confusion and love and respect and grief overwhelms my mind and soul. why? I want to put this system of questions and wonder into physical understanding. I want to feel right about the losses Athens has faced in the dark year of 2009. Vic. Jon Gutherie, GA Theatre. end it, please.

Can this be a positive position we sit in ? is this a launch point to a new conscience alliance of songwriters? we can be strong and bind together the love of our ties, music, songs, lyrics, soul. We can. we can. we can. try to embrace our heart and let our strength in numbers and heritage in culture wave music sustain us.

sustain us.
i will not edit my emotion for the respect of our people. fallen and living.

RIP Vic Chesnutt 1964-2009

See You Around

I’m sorry for my lack of communication
but as I’m staring out this fifth floor window
it seems like the least amount of communication the better
oh, well what am I supposed to say
"there’s a bloody effigy on my wall
and the complimentary carnation is falling apart"
and I ain’t got time for the niceties
or rather I was never never fond of the niceties

I will see you around
I will see you around
see you around
see you around

well I must admit I’m flattered by your consecration
It’s a mind-numbing spine-chilling
but never-the-less heartwarming gesture
but as you make your advances so clumsily
I’ll save us both the both the hassle and leave
and hang out all night
in the familiar fluorescent light of Dunkin’ Donuts
'cause I ain’t got time for the niceties
or rather I was never never fond of the niceties

I will see you around
see you around
see you around
see you around

well how are you with issues
lately you’ve been a half-assed activist
you’ve been seen sashaying around the picket line
wearing scarcely any sign
oh but always vocal in love and strife
and the politics of your all important life
well I’m sorry but your routine is coming off a bit ragged
and I ain't got time for the niceties
or rather I was never never fond of the niceties

I will see you around
I'll see you around
see you around
see you around
see you around
see you around
I'll see you around
I'll see you around
I'll see you around
~V. Chesnutt

Happy Holidays
Peace to Vic and his family and friends.
Joy to the world?