Have you ever noticed how a great movie released in March often gets overlooked when the Oscar favorites are unveiled in December? Well, don’t sleep on this EP from talker because it may get my vote for EP of the Year and Indie Pop Video of the Year.
The band name “talker” is a clever way of letting the world know how to pronounce Celeste Tauchar’s last name. She’s an L.A.-based indie pop artist with a sly sense of humor that complements her unvarnished honesty. Tauchar has struggled with anxiety and depression, but she owns it – and even has fun with it on the EP’s video for “Sad Chick.” In addition to “Little Bird,” the new EP features a grunge-emo classic (“Don’t Want You To Love Me”) and the masterfully written “IRL.” The latter has a hauntingly beautiful chorus that stays with you for hours.
The words in “Little Bird” could stand on their own as great poetry reminiscent of British poet Vicki Feaver.
Fly little bird til you fall down
I’ll keep plucking your feathers out
One by one every time I ask
You to keep on coming back
Celeste/talker provides insight into the song’s origin: “I was in a relationship that felt like it was reeling towards the end, where the other person wanted the freedom to run and be on their own and pursue things they couldn’t do while in a relationship. It made me feel like I was plucking out their feathers and I was the reason they couldn’t fly.”
The song opens with what sounds like the electrical hum of power lines that a bird would hear while taking a brief respite from the journey. After the first verse, talker adds swelling, sorrowful harmonies that capture the beauty of a flock in flight.
Maybe some of the sadness in talker’s songs comes from being a genius. How else could you describe someone who started playing piano at four, writes Emily Dickinson-caliber poems/lyrics and has the vocal dynamic range to emote yet belt and scream with the best of them (like Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair and Brandi Carlile)?
The new EP is titled In Awe Of Insignificance, which is a throwback to the vinyl days when album titles were an art-form. “For me, being in awe of insignificance is to be constantly leaning into the small ways that I can appreciate life,” says Tauchar. “And those end up being really big things because they have a dramatic impact on my life. Things like getting a ton of candles for my room, journaling every morning, and going for a short walk at sunset in my neighborhood. It’s really small stuff, but it has a huge effect on my mental health.”
Despite the EP’s title, “Little Bird” and the other seven songs are a significant achievement. They’ll make you laugh and cry – and be grateful to be alive. Says Tauchar: “I love feeling things even when they hurt, and I want to fully experience all the range of emotion. So I wanted this record to not only cover that spectrum thematically, but to sonically have a huge, cathartic, wondrous feeling to the production.”
Mission accomplished.
What prompted you to write “Little Bird”? Any specific moment of sadness or melancholy?
Honestly a whole period of melancholy more than a specific moment. I was in a relationship that felt like it was reeling towards the end, where the other person wanted the freedom to run and be on their own and pursue things they couldn’t do while in a relationship. It made me feel like I was plucking out their feathers and I was the reason they couldn’t fly.
Did you play the piano on “Little Bird”? Are you equally comfortable writing songs on both piano and guitar?
My friend & co-writer/producer Phil Simmonds actually played the piano in this recording, because we were kind of just experimenting and jamming when I started singing the melody he happened to be sitting at the piano. But I’m definitely comfortable writing on both piano and guitar. Piano was actually my first instrument – I started playing when I was four. Along with performing as talker, I do a lot of touring playing keys & guitar with other artists.
Your voice sometimes reminds me of Sheryl Crow, who could write both “emo” songs and flat-out rock songs (and has a very expressive voice for both). What singers have most influenced you?
Wow, I love that comparison! I’m obsessed with Sheryl Crow. I feel like so many of my influences are more so for their artistry & songwriting than their particular vocal technique, but I would definitely say Liz Phair, Brandi Carlile, and Fiona Apple are big influences. Artists who are super expressive and can belt and scream and be super aggressive, but also have dynamic range and hold so much power in the softer moments. Like Sheryl Crow too.
The serious/sad songs on your new EP outnumber the fun/dance-y songs (like “Don’t Want You To Love Me”, with the mannequin video and really hooky chorus). Was that by design, or is it just a reflection of what you’re feeling lately?
I think that’s just how it turned out. Some of the other songs may not be quite as dance-y or as overtly lighthearted, but I tried to have a good balance of not everything being super heavy. For example, “Sad Chick” might be very clearly about depression, but the point is to get a little tongue and cheek and own that and be like, yep! I have depression! And anxiety! And it’s just gonna be part of who I am and it’s okay.
The EP title In Awe Of Insignificance is kind of a throwback to the vinyl days when album titles were their own art-form (like Hail To The Thief, etc). Why did you choose that album title?
I definitely want my titles to be memorable and evocative – I love the idea that when you hear the title, you feel something and can imagine what the record might be like. For me, the concept of being “in awe of insignificance” is to be constantly leaning into the small ways that I can appreciate life – and those end up becoming really big things because they have a dramatic impact on my life. But from getting a ton of candles for my room, to making a point of journaling every morning, to going for a short walk at sunset in my neighborhood. It’s really small stuff, but it has a huge effect on my mental health, and during the pandemic I kept my sense of wonder alive through these things. That includes the emotional spectrum as well – I love feeling things even when they hurt, and I want to fully experience all the ranges of emotion. So I really wanted this record to not only cover that spectrum thematically, but to sonically really have a huge, cathartic, wondrous feeling to the production.
