WILL STRATTON is an American songwriter and composer. He turns 21 in April, and soon after that will finish recording his second album, tentatively titled "For No One." His first album was "What the Night Said."

He grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey and Northern California, and is currently studying musical composition at Bennington College in VT.

In his pop music, he counts Nick Drake, early Bob Dylan, Big Star, and Yo La Tengo among his greatest influences, and in his art music he takes inspiration from the works of composers as disparate as John Adams, Charles Ives, and Erik Satie. In his own, everyday life, Will looks to Cary Grant, Robin Hood, and Tintin for guidance.

Will writes songs about people and places that only half-exist. He tries to make his songs nostalgic without being overly sentimental. He is fascinated by the no-man's-land between romanticism and nihilism. He aspires to write songs that are equally beautiful and ugly, that can simultaneously break your heart and heal your soul, that can knock you down and force you out of your seat and onto your feet. He also dabbles in film-scoring.

Praise for his debut:

"Universally beautiful." (4.5 Stars out of 5)

- Allmusic.com

"Another disarmingly proficient project by an indie-rock prodigy."

- NPR's All Songs Considered

"...Arrives fully-formed and ready to prove itself. If What the Night Said is not a straight-up masterpiece, then it's pretty damn close." (9 out of 10)

- Popmatters

"Elegantly expressive...unquestionably profound."

- Performing Songwriter

"Stratton positively exudes insular transcendentalism...it's impossible for this music to inspire bile."

- Cokemachineglow.com