Heady summery 70s vibe, Spector-like drum beats and strummed chords with a splash of Harry Nilsson eccentricity – Marla & David Celia are back with their sophomore album “Indistinct Chatter” (released Oct 2021). With duet vocal harmonies in the foreground, they dive through progressive chord changes, elaborate arrangements and round it off with well-crafted ballads. The lyrics circle around our lives in the present, during times of overproduction, corporate greed and today’s disposable culture, capitalism and the desire to see change. They never labour the points they’re making, but the sentiments are always there in the hum. The new album’s title “Indistinct Chatter” is a reminder that often the whisper is far more effective than the scream.
Music brought Marla & David Celia together when they met on stage in 2015. They shared the bill for some shows in Germany and quite naturally began to accompany each other. Their chemistry was magnetic and soon David was producing Marla’s first record at his studio in Canada. They both released their latest solo albums at the same time and began sharing bills across Europe. There was a gradual shift from performing two separate sets to becoming one act. Not only did their vocal harmonies blend warmly, but so did their love for each other and they naturally began writing & recording music as a duo. Their debut Daydreamers (2018) has taken them everywhere from L.A. to Russia to England’s famous Glastonbury Festival. In the past 6 years, they’ve played well over 500 shows and have become like one on stage. After finishing their incredibly lucky timed 20-date tour through Germany in September 2020, they were booked to fly home together and finally record their second album. Canada had just shut their doors days before departure and Marla was denied entry. Since gathering was prohibited and the live-off-the-floor band thing wasn’t an option, David picked up the sticks and recorded all the Drums, Bass, etc at his home studio (Organica). As Canadian officials stalled to respond to an authorization from allowing Marla to enter the country, David booked a controversial flight to Germany with the intention of joining her and recording vocals together in her hometown of Heidelberg, Germany. There, they were given the keys to Czernyhood Studios which would be empty nightly from 8pm to dawn – exactly when the curfew started and nobody was allowed to be outside. But music is as fundamental as health so they were compelled to create this album despite these new rules. They would arrive at 8pm on bicycle, then sneak back home, riding past the main police station, often as the sun was rising. In actuality, they weren’t jeopardizing anyone’s health. Being stuck inside the studio of such a quiet town at night created a relaxed feeling but also a strong sense of adventure, which you can hear and almost feel in their vocals.
“Close your eyes and you could be sitting on a rocking chair on a 70’s Laurel Canyon porch”
– Americana-uk.com
“Their vocal harmonies blend tightly together with hints of 60’s folk, yet remain timeless and make you want to sing along” – Laurel Canyon Radio, Los Angeles