Recommended Tracks: “Drowning,” “Ink,” “The End”
Artists You Might Like: Parade the Day, Super Whatevr, Hometown Losers
When you listen to Sioux Falls-based band Shurr Jr., you can tell that there is an active desire to create. Growing up, brothers Nick and Frankie practiced in their mother’s garage while their sister, Kelly, taught herself to play the guitar. Nick cites his father as his “biggest inspiration,” not because of his father’s time in the Omaha-based group Fifth of May but because he also encouraged Nick to take up the guitar. Following his death, the siblings now use music as a way to honor their father’s legacy. From the band name to the title of their debut EP, Red Shelter, there is a part of him embedded in their endeavors. Still, Shurr Jr. would not be at this point if not for their own passion for making and sharing music, and fans will hear this through the EP’s six tracks.
Red Shelter gets off to a rousing start with “Ashes.” Fans will be introduced to the band’s eclectic grunge-meets-punk-meets-rock sound, as they take in the heavy guitar, driving drums, and dynamic vocals. All the while, Nick drops tortured lines like, “The smell of your perfume / Haunts me to death / Don’t be my last breath / Wake me up,” giving the track an emo edge. The emo vibes then continue into “Drowning,” a previously released single that touches on a broken relationship. Listeners will instantly be placed in a complicated scene as they hear lyrics like, “Those college boys who are into you / Have changed your mind and all your views” and “Calling me brainless / I’m so sick of it.” Along with these lines, the raw-sounding vocals and guitar-driven melodies play up the garage feel of the band and the genuine emotion of the track.
The middle of the EP features the recently released “Ink” and the title track. On “Ink,” the messiness of a relationship is splattered like a toppled bottle of ink across a blank page, complete with a captivating guitar line and a fast-paced verve. It serves as a vital part of the project, as it perfectly captures the conflicted and convoluted feelings that are at the heart of Red Shelter. The energy slows down, however, when we get to the title track. Here, listeners can regroup from the feisty songs they have heard so far, as “Red Shelter” plays out like an adult lullaby. There is a heaviness to this track, be it from the slower pace, the acoustic strums, or the deeper vocals. Along with these elements are lines like, “Sleep well / Talk loud / Facedown / Again / Failing all of my friends,” passing through the track as if they are tired, intrusive thoughts.
We then take a trip through “Lewis Park” before we reach “The End” of Red Shelter. The former has a bright and confident swagger to it despite the crestfallen lyrics, emphasized by the catchy vocal melodies. Through it all, we hear Nick sing, “Walking out in the cold / I’m hearing things left untold” and “You’re holding on to what you let go / Pack up your things, don’t let them know / The pain is real, it’s starting to show,” his observations running wild. When we get to “The End,” the poetry that is found in such observant lyrics offsets the struggle that is also found. We hear lines like, “Killing ourselves / Slowly with booze and drugs / Love turns to lust with / A little bit of mistrust,” which leads to Nick exclaiming, “I’m not going home alone!” by the end of the track. Amongst these lyrics are dynamic guitar and drum lines that give the track a cinematic quality, making it a dramatic way to close out the project.
Overall, Red Shelter is more than just a debut EP for Shurr Jr. – it’s a promising display of what’s to come for the band. The tracks are straightforward and short in nature, but full of heart and sound. They leave a lasting impression, from giving listeners a wide range of emotions to process or a variety of genres to digest. Additionally, the EP gives old fans more to be excited for. As Shurr Jr. continues to grow, they will surely expand on the ideas presented on Red Shelter, be it the lyrical content, the vocals, the melodies… For now, there is plenty to take in and appreciate.
You can listen to Red Shelter here.
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