The Mhurs

Gibt es einen unbekannten Künstler, den wir unbedingt im Auge behalten sollten?

Snyder: Es gibt da eine Band aus St. Louis, sie heißen Mhurs. Das sind Freunde von uns. Die sind echt knallharte Typen. Sie haben kein Label, oder so, bringen bald aber selber ein Album heraus. Die sind wirklich gut, sehr energiegeladen. Das Gitarrenspiel ist sehr nett und ein bisschen spastisch und der Gesang ist wirklich nett und spastisch. Sucht nach ihnen, sie brauchen ein bisschen Liebe. - Julia Maehner, Rollingstone

The Mhurs popped up in the LBYB inbox courtesy of Josh Sickels from 1, 2, 3, and we haven’t been so excited about a new band since, well… since we first heard 1, 2, 3. I say new, but The Mhurs have actually been together for four years. They’re putting a proper record together for the first time now, though, and based on the four tracks available right now, it’s shaping up pretty damn nicely.
I was sold on The Mhurs as soon as I heard “I’m Sorry Forever”. It opens with an eery guitar line and the slightest of bass touches hinting at what’s to follow: an absolutely immense main riff with bluesy verses and a big, filthy guitar solo for a bridge that could have been ripped straight from the fingers of Jack White.
But The Mhurs aren’t just cheap blues rock imitators. “Why?!” is more akin to the adventurous sound of Blonde Redhead when they let one of the Pace brothers take over on vocals. Lead singer Jonathan Maguire’s soaring vocals are accompanied by an identically soaring guitar part. The two intertwine beautifully, all the while underpinned by rolling drums a la Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ “Throw Away Your Television”. “Together To Stay Together” and “Let The Right One In” add some gentleness to the otherwise rocking proceedings, as their titles suggest. The first is a spacious, diverse, six minute epic, and the second is a tender number that sounds like a potential album closer.
The eclectic references should give it away: there’s more variety in these four songs than some artists manage to squeeze out of a complete record and, more importantly, every track is great. What’s more, these MP3s are numbered 7 through 10, which means at least 6 more tracks to come from The Mhurs in the near future. Download the four we’ve got so far below, and look forward to the full album dropping around mid-June. - listenbeforeyoubuy.net