I’m not sure what finally called me to check out Bilmuri. I was on the tarmac, waiting to take off from Boston back to Denver, after a whirlwind 48-hours attending Boston Calling Music Festival with a large chunk of the HMM team. I know I didn’t want to cry, as I am one to do, listening to Fall Out Boy on the way back home, so while I sat waiting for the plane to complete boarding, I downloaded everything I could onto my phone and started listening. What I found was as intriguing as interesting, but it took me a few more weeks to get back to them to really listen.
After a work trip that basically exhausted all my new podcast episodes, I was on my way back to Denver from Aspen with no service in the mountains. I clicked into the Bilmuri page on my phone, cracked my windows, and watched the beauty of the Rockies as I made my ascent back to the Colorado front range. Not only did I find myself jamming along to hardcore riffs and drums, but also the EDM inspired breakdowns, the tracks that my country-exclusive listening mother might enjoy, and – because of who I am as a person – the lyrics that put me deep in my feelings about situationships and loves I got over years ago.
The former band kid in me was millennial-ugly-face head banging to breakdowns laced with jam band level saxophone. I found myself drifting back and forth between the songs features of great female vocalists, happily loving that I discovered something new and was falling in love with it. What I found in my research days later is Bilmuri is the one-man project of former Attack! Attack! guitarist Johnny Franck, a Westerville, Ohio native – alas, I’ve been struck by midwest emo again. Active since 2016, Bilmuri boasts a deep discography of 17 albums and EP’s, with the latest, American Motor Sports (420 CC Edition), released in October of 2024. Attack! Attack! and many of Franck’s other projects never really were in my radar, but I attached myself to something with Bilmuri for sure, albeit a bit late. I’m only terribly heartbroken there isn’t a Colorado date on their upcoming tour dates.
Some tracks I’d recommend if you are looking to dip your toe in:
Unapologetically hardcore intro, fantastic vocals, a bit of that country twang, still very pop-punk. A cut in verse of the classic racing intro, “…and gentlemen, start your engines”
Why is it always up to you, and I’m collateral damage?
How do you always get your way, and I never understand it?
Cut me so deep and didn’t even leave a bandage
Why does it always fill you up, leaving me empty-handed?
A dancing song by no other name, ethereal beats, upbeat melodies.
Give me peace when I’m broken
Eyes calm my hurricanes
Touch is heaven when it rains
Never thought I could love you like I do
When we intertwined our souls
Classic pop-punk with a screaming verses, somehow with an up-tempo chorus that will get stuck in your head for days.
Pull my head to the sink
Push it down, let me scream
Let me cry, let me beg
Not for life but for death
I am so sick of the sickness
Send me away to the infinite stars
Somewhere I never existed
Show me the light at the end of the dark
End of the dark
Stream Bilmuri on Spotify
Follow Bilmuri on Instagram
Check out upcoming shows at https://www.bilmuri.com/tour and merch at https://murimerch.com/