Diandra Interviews Close Talker: Music As A Time Capsule
For Close Talker, part of growing up was analyzing their time, and how music sparked memory. When you are a kid you have wants, but when you are an adult you have goals. Your dreams go beyond instant satisfactions and even material weights. How time teaches you value has played a role in some of their newest works, recently releasing their song “Half Past Nine.” In our interview, we discuses everything from their purpose to their presence in music.
Diandra: How have you seen each other grow as persons and creatives?
Chris: We spoke about this just yesterday; about how we have grown and learnt to communicate better as a group. We are much better at expressing our issues with each other.
Will: We also know how we each deal with conflict, and that has been helpful for us. Also, with us playing shows, I have learned that we all play our best shows when we are all mentally stable. We can’t play a good show if someone is mad at each other. So we have to take the time before, and hash it out.
Diandra: Well, I think that is also apart of friendship; knowing when you need a break from each other. (They laugh!) So, being childhood friends, what is one quality you recognize in each other that has stayed the same?
Chris on Matt: One that has not changed about him is his optimism. He is a dreamer and always thinking in best case scenario, even if it is not reality (They laugh).You give him a little bit, and he always thinks of amazing opportunities.
Chris: I am practical and a little more reserved.
Will: I swing people back to reality. I am the bridge between the two, but we balance each other out. We wouldn’t be where we are if we didn’t balance each other.
Diandra: How did growing up in a small town influence your music and how it sings about humanity?
Will: We grew up in a small city, of like 2,000. Everyone knows everyone in Saskatoon, which translates to the music. Every artist knows each other, and there is this trademark, communal aspect, that you can hear in the music, but I can’t explain it. Everyone is always helping everyone; it is a very friendly place.
Chris: It is a cool incubator, especially if you are a young artist. It was pretty easy to get to know the major players or bands of the community, which is not easy in a place like New York. It is not competitive there.
Diandra: Ugh, we are a friendly people. New Yorkers, we can be jaded, but we are nice. Maybe, not like Canada! (They laugh!)
Will: In our buddies van, in front of Pianos, this drunk guy smashed into his van, and our buddy came out, really softly, “Like Hey?!” Could you not do that?!” And our New York friends just rolled their eyes and said, “You guys are so Canadian!”
Diandra: Yeah, we probably would have added a few more curse words to your friend’s reaction. (They laugh) Well, going of that last question, what do you want your new music to say about humanity and how it works?
Will: It think with our new stuff, we wanted a more unified sound. With the new record, we wanted a more focused vision and vibe. Sonically, it is more laid-back, and, lyrically, we like to talk about time a lot. Whether, we are talking about what we are scared of or excited for, we were just fascinated with time. I think, as a society, we are always planning the next thing. We are never enjoying now or reminiscing on the good and the bad. We wanted to use this record like a time capsule or a diary, especially with how busy the band has gotten. We never really journal because we are so busy. So, I want to hold the memories longer.
Diandra: Well, was there anything specific that made you say, let me look at time and see how I am spending it?
Chris: I think we are always going through that, especially because, in a tour, there are a lot of highs and lows. On the lowest day, you question everything like, “Why am I doing this? Why I am away from my family?” On the best day, you are like, “We are doing good! We are in New York! The crowd was amazing!” We don’t always give ourselves the opportunity to take stock about what we are doing here on tour, but when we record, we step back and really see where our place is.
Will: We started this band when we were 21, and have gone through changes together, and I think writing about those changes, in our music, has allowed us to come to grips with them. It helps us realize how we have been transformed in our own lives. I go back and listen to our first album, and it’s all about how we are leaving home for the first time and its nostalgic. Now, with this band, we have traveled the world, and I never thought we would tour Europe four times. I think that is why we like to write about time so much; it is nice to go back and listen to how your life was at a certain point.
Diandra: So what do you feel each record says about your time?
Will: I think our first album, we were very naive. We had just gotten signed, and we were excited and optimistic, and, in our second, we realized things are not what we thought they would be; so, it’s a bit down. So, for this next record, it’s all about focusing on the positive. Being in a band and in the music industry, everything is subjective. You can’t really define what is successful. So this last year, we have really been focusing on our mental health and happiness. Let’s focus on how we have grown from our times.
Chris: I think now we are more confident and content and have an identity. We know better what optimism is.
Diandra: So going off on time, what is your philosophy on how to best approach it?
Will: I think the feeling of being present and absorbing the moment and witnessing how everything changes. All is fleeting. With music, now when its released, it becomes a blip. Then, it’s gone because then there is something new. So I am really trying to hold on to things more: in life and with how I consume music.
