Talker Finds Some Release in Powerful Video for “Collateral Damage” (premiere)

Talker is the stage name of LA based Celeste Taucher. After cutting her teeth playing and recording with the electropop band Frenship she recently released her debut single “Collateral Damage”; a dynamic ’90s influenced alt-rock song imbued with a keen pop sensibility. Today PopMatters is pleased to premiere the brand new video for the track.

The best of ideas are often the simplest and the idea behind the video couldn’t be any more straightforward. As the music swirls around Taucher, each lyric is written in thick, black marker on masking tape and stuck across her mouth providing a stark focal point as if the words are a protest in themselves. As the song reaches the three quarter mark the lyrics cycle backward before Talker cathartically tears the tape off as if finally purged of feelings she has held onto for far too long. The effect is subtle, jarring yet hugely effective as she looks directly at the listener with a look of what seems to be a mixture of relief, liberation and newly discovered resilience.

The song itself, “Collateral Damage”, opens with a chugging acoustic guitar line that becomes more darker and unsettled as the guitars morph with thick, edgy keyboard chords driven by the resounding, steady thump of drums. However, it’s Talker’s vocals that elevate the song to somewhere truly special. There is a majesty and clarity to her voice with every sharp, syllable hitting the mark like consistent pin pricks. It should come as no surprise, that the lyrics are incredibly personal, concerning, as they do, her first-hand account of an emotionally abusive pseudo-relationship.

With the video for “Collateral Damage” Talker has produced that rare thing; a video that stands up as a profound piece of art on its own.

“Collateral Damage” is taken from her forthcoming debut EP due out towards the end of the summer/beginning of autumn.