Close Talker reassembles after a geography break
by Chris Morin
Close Talker
With Library Voices and Soundtracks for Sad Movies
The Exchange
Friday 20
Call it a series of long distance love letters, but Saskatoon indie rock quartet Close Talker have been making their cross-Canada relationship work by sharing song ideas and keeping in close contact with one another via the Internet since their formation in 2012. It almost sounds romantic, but drummer Chris Morien says it’s the only way that the band has been able to make things work while its principal songwriters, Will Quiring and Matthew Kopperud, spend half the year on the west coast.
And that patience has paid off. Over the holidays, Close Talker will play several shows throughout the province in support of Slow Weather, their new four-song EP.
It’s been a challenge for the group to release new material with members scattered across western Canada, but Morien says that the band overcame that by re-working several songs previously released on their debut album, Timbers.
“The EP was done in BC with Matt and Will recording the songs,” says Morien. “Initially they went into a studio with very little plans, and me and Jeremy [Olson, Close Talker’s bass player] basically just helped out with some of the background noise. Eventually a lot of ambient sounds and pianos were added, so it has a lot of things going on that aren’t really found on our previous EP.”
On Timbers, Close Talker created a simmering mass of pop squalls and drones with textured layers of guitar effects and light-hearted vocal melodies. The group also combines traditional rock instrumentation with electronic elements like programmed beats and synthesizers.
In addition to Slow Weather, the group will launch a video for the unreleased song “Heads”, which should debut in January.
And, of course, now that they will have some time to enjoy each other’s company, Morien says that the band will be in songwriting mode for the next couple of weeks before they part ways once again.
“Over the past couple of months we’ve been sending tracks back and forth, basically sharing song ideas,” says Morien. “This is really something of a transitional period for us. We’re looking forward to delving into these new songs that we’re working on, and they’re different than our last batch of songs.
“I’m excited about spending some time in isolation to write new material. Also that we’re all going to be together,” he adds.
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Close Talker and Soundtracks for Sad Movies open for Library Voices Friday, Dec. 20 at the Cultural Exchange. Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9. For more information visit culturalexchange.ca.
