Faith of the Simple

• Track Listing

Millville Rose is the musical husband-and-wife duo Nick and Lorrie Holm. Together they've invented a new genre called "Millbilly" -- a sound that draws from the roots of American music and stirs together folk, Americana and blues. Their music is all original - hollering about injustice, lamenting ghosts from long ago, mooning about love - and is pickled with a sweet and sour brine distilled from everyday living. The band is from Pennsylvania, a state that induces musical whiplash where urban funk plays tricks on rural melodies on the back porch of anybody who's paying attention. Their first CD, "Faith of the Simple", is powder keg of new music that's bound to blow up the status quo in Americana circles. It evokes the American past with songs like "Richmond" and "Sister Moonshine" along with a bluesier side in "Run Rabbit Run" and "40 Tons of Lime". It touches on the spiritual aspect of life in "Not All Angels Have Wings" and "Faith of the Simple." Their band name is taken from the coveted floral paperweights made by early 20th century craftsmen in the glass factories around Millville, New Jersey. In their off hours these laborers created art - red and pink single roses encased in clear glass to give to their wives, sweethearts and mothers. The band's name honors this impulse to create personal art after putting in long hours in a glowing hot factory. Nick and Lorrie Holm have had the great fortune to open for Diana Jones, Jonathan Byrd, Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman, John Lilly, Wishing Chair, Gathering Time, Doug & Telisha Williams, Cosy Sheridan and TR Ritchie, Mike Agranoff, The Craven Family Band, Flynn, Folk By Association, Wishing Chair, Flynn and Arlon Bennett. Nick and Lorrie come from humble stock -- farmers, preachers, poets and teachers - so they understand hard work and soul soothing music. Personal loss has touched their lives deeply, and when they partnered up the band mined their tragedies to lend a sharp tang to the songs. But their shared enthusiasm for authentic living sweetens the music and the result is a blend like no other.