We were excited to check out the new single, “Ink”, from Sioux Falls-based SHURR JR. You can listen to “Ink”Here

 “I started thinking about how ink can be used to create something beautiful and meaningful, but when it’s uncontrolled—like when a pen breaks and the ink spills everywhere—it becomes chaotic and messy,” explains vocalist/guitarist Nick Maxwell about SHURR JR.’s latest single, “Ink” He continues: “The imagery of ‘ink smears’ came to me after getting my first tattoo. That felt like the perfect metaphor for emotions that can’t be contained or hidden, no matter how hard we try.”

“Ink” , from SHURR JR, is a well sculpted gem that has memorable melodies that dance alongside well written words that without question will leave a lasting mark on all that listen .

Taken from their debut EP Red Shelter which will be released on March 28, 2025 via Max Trax Records, the track swirls in a guitar-textured whirlpool while the rhythm section keeps Nick’s plaintive vocals firmly anchored. “’Ink’ is a song about a troubled relationship,” he further elaborates. “Beyond that though, it explores themes of alienation, emotional distance, and the difficulty of true communication. It portrays a relationship filled with unspoken words, misinterpretations, and an underlying struggle between connection and detachment.”

While they may seem like upstarts, the band (comprised of Nick and his siblings drummer Frankie and bassist Kelly) have been perfecting their craft for years now. Inspired by the songwriting of Elliott Smith, the musicality of the Avett Brothers, and the unbridled fury of Title Fight, Nick and Frankie started writing songs and practicing in their mother’s garage in 2015, inspired by their late father Frank who was in popular Omaha, NE band Fifth of May. Carrying on his legacy of music, the two brothers and sister formed Shurr Jr. as a tribute to their dad. “He is my biggest inspiration musically, because he was the person who got me into guitar,” explains Nick. “He told me when I was first learning to play, ‘Nick, if you want to truly do this, you have to put every ounce of you into the instrument, and I can’t teach you that. You have to learn that on your own.’”

“Ink” from Shurr JR has the sound of a band who is just getting warmed up. We can’t wait to see what happens next .