Joseph K Murphy and DeLaine Bennett were still high school classmates in Epping when they formed Murkadee in 2003. Their previous band Pink Lemonade had dissolved, and Murphy was eager to embark on a new project. He approached Bennett with the idea of making an album, and she quickly got on board.

“We just wanted to do this artsy, weird, pop-rock, folksy thing,” Murphy said recently.

The pair promoted the resulting album in their classes, and it eventually came to the attention of Murphy’s English teacher, John Herman. Herman, a local filmmaker and improvisational actor, was impressed. He encouraged Murphy and Bennett to stick together and play shows in the area, and they have been doing so ever since.

On Friday, May 29, Herman will introduce the very group he helped launch at a farewell show at The Portsmouth Pearl. It will be an evening of mixed emotions for the band and its fans, who will celebrate the release of a brand new album while simultaneously marking the end of Murkadee’s six-year run.

After recording four albums and once winning a Spotlight award for best alternative band, Murkadee announced its pending breakup in January. Despite the gloomy news, Murphy expects the farewell show to be a joyous occasion. “We did rehearsal last night and we never sounded better. It’s gonna be something,” he said.

The band has remained surprisingly busy since deciding to call it quits. Murkadee participated in the RPM Challenge in February, completing an early version of what would become its final album, “Hislop.” In March, the band unveiled a music video for the song “Katy,” which Murphy called a “parting gift” to fans. Herman directed the video, filming half in Japan and half in New Hampshire.

Murphy and DeLaine both sing and play guitar, while Murphy also plays keyboard and DeLaine adds clarinet. Their live band also includes drummer The Attic Bat, bassist Jon Briggs and saxophonist Steve Dunleavy. Murphy said he and DeLaine always shared similar musical proclivities, but they often had different ideas of how to execute their sound. Nevertheless, they developed a highly distinctive pop style that earned them a local following.

Murphy fondly remembers working with DeLaine on the band’s four studio albums, even when their creative ideas clashed. “The highlight was really working on all those albums. Sometimes it was really frustrating and sometimes it got really bad. I mean, man, the fights we’d get into. But it was also kind of fun,” he said.  

Although they recorded “Hislop” (named after former Stone Church co-owner and music critic Chris Hislop) after announcing their breakup, Murphy said the album is filled with positive energy. “I think it might even have a nicer feel, like a brighter feel,” he said. “It definitely was nostalgic, but it was kind of like, ‘This is our last time,’ so we were kind of pumped for it.”

According to Murphy, Murkadee decided to quit largely because the Seacoast never fully embraced its sound. “We never really felt like we fit into the area,” he said. He became especially frustrated with the band’s inability to book gigs last fall, even after opening for psychedelic punk legends the Butthole Surfers at a sold-out show at The Stone Church in July.

“Nobody would give us anything. We got turned away from gigs. We couldn’t find a place to play,” Murphy said. “Our style is kind of too heavy for some places and not heavy enough for other places.”

But Murphy plans to continue pursuing music. His side band Joseph K Murphy and the Best Friends Ever remains intact, and he has been doing audio engineering and composing out of his home studio in Epping. He recently wrote a jingle for a promotional video for the University of New Hampshire’s health services department, and he is recording demos with a handful of other clients. He also teaches guitar lessons.

DeLaine could not be reached for comment last week, but Murphy said she has been brainstorming a solo album. The Attic Bat (a.k.a. Mike D’Errico) is going to grad school while creating electronic ambient music. 

The farewell show at The Pearl will include an opening set from New Hampshire band The Brave Little Abacus, followed by a solid hour and a half from Murkadee. Murphy stresses that this will be the band’s final gig, with no reunion show down the road. He said that finality probably won’t sink in until the show is over.

“That’s not gonna happen until the last note, probably,” Murphy said. “Even then, I think it’s gonna take a few months to feel like it’s actually gone. Right now, it’s all about doing the best we can in that last show.”

The show begins at 7 p.m. at The Portsmouth Pearl, 45 Pearl St., Portsmouth. Admittance is $5, or $10 with a copy of “Hislop.” Visit www.murkadee.com or www.myspace.com/murkdee.