NASHVILLE, TENN.
This Just In

When singer-songwriting couple Zack and Dani Green decided to convert their casual jam sessions into a more formal outfit alongside friends Andy Hubright (percussion), Brian Seligman (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Jesse Baker (bass, vocals), their primary goal was still to have fun— no expectations, no big plans. “Our inception was very reactive,” says Dani. “Basically, all we did was write songs and play them, and when people approached us about it and wanted to help, we said, ‘Yes.’” After transitioning from a house band to a local venue staple, Birdtalker soon recorded their first EP, Just This, and landed with major-league booking agency WME. “When you start playing music in your friend’s bedroom, it feels very surreal to have respected figures in the music business take your music seriously and work hard on behalf of your art,” says Dani. “Having those experiences of validation helped us take ourselves more seriously and see what we’re doing as a possible career and not just as a fun pastime.” Zack and Dani wrote the six indie-folk tracks that comprise Just This as newlyweds and acknowledge that the EP embodies a younger, more optimistic sensibility—one that stems from having the opportunity to start fresh, reflect on the past and rediscover the world without the conservative ideology with which they grew up. “‘Heavy’ stemmed from my experience facing my own patterns through the eyes of my new partner,” says Zack. “That song is mostly about detaching from old and unhelpful patterns of behavior and thought, and moving into a more open, accepting space for myself.” As for their future plans, he adds: “Release our [self-produced] fulllength record, do some more touring, follow our hearts.”