With a primordial punk sound somewhere between Patti Smith's poetic howl, Siouxsie and the Banshees' tribal dance rock, and Helium's gothic psychedelics, Effi Briest formed in 2006 in New York City. Brooklyn native Corinne Brown put feelers out to her likeminded friends about putting together a band and swiftly wound up with a sprawling 12-member outfit. Taking their name from Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1974 film version of a classic 1897 German novel, Effi Briest pared down to a tidy six-piece by 2008 and built a buzz opening for acts like White Rabbits and Abe Vigoda. A 7" with Telepathe in 2009 and simple yet clever YouTube videos spread the band's name further. ~ Jason Thurston, Rovi