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The Millburns – Inspired by legends

The Millburns, a rambunctious five-piece from Baton Rouge, is a band on the move. With a sound that recalls the candy-coated pop hits of the ’50s and ’60s combined with the acidity of ’90s rock, the group brings a Beatles-meets-Pixies vibe to the local music scene. They’re building a fan base the old-fashioned way—and prepping a debut album for later this year—by simply doing what they love and having fun with it.

Anyone who’s caught one of their shows can tell you that The Millburns have a playful, quirky side. You might know them from their logo, “The Face,” a dark silhouette of a man stickered and stapled all over town. The identity behind the face remains a mystery, and the band isn’t revealing it.

But The Millburns possess just as much artistry as they do humor. “We want to make our music the best it can be,” says singer and lyricist Ben Nelson. That shows when they take the stage.

Nelson and bandmate Ashley Cowart are a well-matched team on lead vocals. Cowart’s powerful voice is dramatic and emotional, while Nelson’s style is more down-to-earth, with a sensitive and measured delivery. Bass player John Mark Lowry, drummer Michael Lane and the psychedelic guitar work of guitarist Jason Bossier all help amplify the band’s sound, making their shows youthful, fresh and downright enjoyable to watch.

When asked about her commanding stage presence, Cowart says she was inspired as a young girl by powerful female vocal artists. “I was always listening to the big lady voices of Etta James and Janis Joplin,” Cowart says.

Adding to her musical upbringing, Cowart’s father played bass with the Bee Gees and John Fred and His Playboy Band. “We were always in the studio and listening to records [growing up]. I never knew there was any other way to live,” she says.

When asked whether her father’s musical career inspired her to pursue music as well, Cowart says, “I always thought I’d only make it my hobby, but more recently I’ve learned that music is what I truly love. It’s what I want to do.”

The legends of rock-n-roll inspire Nelson’s songwriting as well. He says that as a young musician, he practiced at length out of a Beatles songbook. He still loves incorporating the style of those neatly arranged ’50s and ’60s hits. “There’s a well-established structure there that works. And when you play in that style, it feels like you’ve become a part of that musical heritage in a way. In The Millburns, we’re all inspired by the greats of rock ‘n’ roll,” Nelson says. “But we want to move the sound forward in our own way.”

The Baton Rouge music scene has started taking notice of the The Millburns as they’ve played gigs at venues such as Chelsea’s Cafe and the Spanish Moon. About the Spanish Moon, Nelson says, “The crowds have grown with each show that we have played there and have become more and more responsive.”

The band is set to release its debut album later this year. Nelson says crowd favorites from a recent EP, such as “Dizzy,” “Don’t You Wait” and “Forget My Way,” will make it on the album, but with significant improvements. He expects that the album will reflect the infectious sound audiences have enjoyed at their live shows. themillburns.com