Cosmic American Music. Psychedelic alt-rock. Midwestern soul. Country music for people who live in the city. Electronic folk. Digital Voodoo. Rock ân roll.

11 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Folk Rock, ROCK: Psychedelic



Details:
Visions & Revisions

After splitting with the Madison funk-rock band, the Mosaic, and immersing himself for a time in the world of Spanish flamenco, Will Phalen decided it was time to return to his folk-rock roots and strike out on his own. In the cold winter months of 2005, Will began writing new songs and experimenting with unconventional recording techniques as he sought a way to blend new technologies and sounds with the familiar forms of popular music â to create a sort of Cosmic American Music, borrowing a term coined by country-rock pioneer, Gram Parsons. These early trials laid the ground work for what would become Visions & Revisions. When Andy Gulotta (founding member of seminal Milwaukee rock band Freshwater Collins) heard the recordings and came on board, the project quickly changed shape as new ideas were thrown into the sonic mix and Phalenâs solo project morphed into an ensemble work featuring a host of the upper Midwestâs finest musical and creative minds, now known collectively as the Stereo Addicts.

The sounds found on Visions & Revisions represent a pastiche of folk guitars, old-timey banjos, psychedelic flashbacks, ambient noise, electronic drones and driving rock ân roll rhythms that create the impression that a not-so-distant past may at last be meeting and coexisting with a not-so-distant future. Winding through this sonic patchwork, Phalenâs lyrics convey a sense of longing and contemplation reminiscent of icy Midwestern winters and dreary suburban isolation from which the only solace is love and music.


Will Phalen
Will Phalen lives, works and creates in the Midwest, dividing his time between his favorite American cities: Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago. After learning drums and guitar at the age of twelve he began playing in rock bands and hasnât stopped. In addition to his first love, rock ân roll, Will continues to delve into and draw from the worlds of folk, funk, jazz, hip-hop, flamenco and country while experimenting with new sonic textures, song forms and digital wizardry.

The Stereo Addicts
Though it started as a solo project, Visions & Revisions gradually evolved into a major group effort consisting of nine musicians, two artists/designers, and two recording engineers who worked selflessly to bring Phalenâs songs to life. From this group emerged a live band starring three of Milwaukeeâs strongest and most versatile rock musicians.

The Stereo Addicts live are:

* Andy Gulotta â guitar; founding member of Freshwater Collins
* Fritz Washabaugh â drums; formerly of Milwaukee rock quartet Thebes
* Joe Ledger â bass; multi-instrumentalist and Milwaukee musical mainstay, also mixed Visions & Revisions and heads up Butter Productions

Stereo Addicts also featured on the album:

* John Zeratsky â drums and web design; founding member with Will Phalen of Madisonâs the Mosaic
* Eric âDocâ Holliday â banjo and mandolin; formerly of Milwaukee alt-rock supergroup Decibully
* Anthony Olson â drums; longtime member of Freshwater Collins
* Brian Vos â bass; founding and current member of Freshwater Collins
* Dick Phalen â bass; Willâs dad and mentor, longtime musician, arranger and songwriter
* Anna Carey â vocals; half of Chicago indie outfit The Northside OâDonnells
* Brian Besch â artwork; Madison-area artist specializing in ceramics and screen prints
* Jacques Sewrey â mastering engineer; longtime Milwaukee music scene veteran, and co-owner of downtown recording studio, The Laboratory