Premiere: Talker, ‘Intimidated’

0
Talker (Photo by Bridgit Fatora)
Talker (Photo by Bridgit Fatora)

Talker (rendered talker) is the solo project of 23-year-old Celeste Tauchar, whose songs tap into the starkest of emotions and whose sound drives them home with the tight-fisted intensity (and wall-shaking power chords) of the more writerly of the ’90s alternative heroes. With two singles out so far, “Collateral Damage” and “Changes,” she’s one of a several L.A. artists calling their sound “grunge-pop” — its calling cards being velvety vocal melodies and an arresting soft/loud dynamic.

Talker’s simmering new single “Intimidated,” in that vein, starts as a strummed acoustic ballad before boiling over at the 2-minute mark. It’s a bedroom confessional, writ large. “I think the reason ‘Intimidated’ means so much to me is because it was written in its most raw form, when I was feeling super vulnerable and like everything was spinning out of control,” Tauchar says. “In L.A., you end up doing a lot of pre-planned writing sessions and thinking about where a song could fit, with whom, etc. So even when it comes from a personal experience, there’s a commercial tinge to it — everything has to have a purpose. But ‘Intimidated’ is just a snapshot of a moment, alone in my room, feeling sad and confused as hell, and trying to get something out.”

The tune, from her forthcoming EP, was produced by Danny Schnair (who played electric guitar), with Jake Reed on the drums. It’s officially out on Friday.

||| Stream: “Intimidated”

||| Also: Stream “Collateral Damage” and “Changes”

||| Live: Talker performs along with Jubilo Drive, Zealyn and Badtalkers on Dec. 11 at Madame Siam. Info.