Last October, we introduced you to Casual Vocals—the solo folk venture of Chicago native-turned-Milwaukee resident Colleen Webb—by way of her inventive homespun music video for the first single and title track of her forthcoming album, You Are I Am We Are. While that album has yet to be released, Webb wanted to push out the single (and the video we called one of Milwaukee’s finest of 2015) before the birth of her son last fall. With a half year of motherhood beneath her belt, Webb is ready to resume work on Casual Vocals. Exactly a month before the project’s sophomore record—and its first since departing Chicago—is released next month, Casual Vocals’ Milwaukee roots will grow ever-stronger with the release of her second video and single, “Plant.”
Just like the “You Are I Am We Are” music video, “Plant” was created by Webb herself. This time, she delved into animation, drawing and illustrating literal interpretations of the flowery folk number’s uplifting lyrics over four intense days. Given the tight deadline and the whole tending to a child thing, “Plant” is pretty damn impressive and has the handcrafted quality people have come to expect from Casual Vocals.
“One thing that motherhood has taught me is that there is no time to waste waiting for perfection,” Webb tells Milwaukee Record. “And fun always wins.”
Casual Vocals will release You Are I Am We Are at Sugar Maple on Sunday, June 12 at 4 p.m.