The defining characteristic of the self-titled EP from the Quad Cities band the Effie Afton is a pillowy softness - from the singing to the playing to the layer of gauze over the whole affair. Its four songs over 17 minutes are on the somnambulant side, even on the up-tempo "Great Divide" and the standout closing track, "Say Goodbye." But in a sly trick, this vibe masks a striking evolution over the course of the EP.
