I Speak Machine, the experimental music act and audio-visual project of musician Tara Busch, is excited to present the music video for “Santa Monica,” the latest single to be lifted from the Friday, April 22 release of their brand new full-length album, WAR (pre-order). Following the release of “The Metal of My Hell,” and “WAR,” “Santa Monica” was inspired by a Judy Garland performance of “By Myself” from 1964 that led Busch to write about a character that could’ve been her in another life — a troubled, Garland-esque star that felt deep despair despite how loved she really was, and unable to overcome the pain in the end. 

“Everything became blurred and demented, addiction and delusion being a better place to exist than reality,” Busch says of the character. “All taking place in her mind — on the beaches of Santa Monica, full of beautiful people, shiny, numb and smiling, slightly melting. 

I’m not sure, but I think she loses it and walks into the ocean at the end. Perhaps that can be left up to the listener. It was also in this song that I brought in the superpowers of Kendra Frost’s vocals & vocal arrangement skills — we wanted a sort of ‘angel on your shoulder’/‘voice of reason’ approach to contrast all the delirium.” Watch the music video for “Santa Monica” on YouTube HERE

What inspired this last release?

This felt like something that was a long time coming and finally boiled over. It’s inspired by things that are quite dark and upsetting – addiction, depression and perhaps a bit of getting older – but they come out in a more tongue-in-cheek, almost animated way. I never felt compelled to address them until now, and I finally felt that I could articulate it. THIS is what it all sounded like, but perhaps a more surreal, animated outcome.

Do you get inspired by other art forms?

As I Speak Machine is an audio/visual project (I “co-helm” it with filmmaker Maf Lewis), I think I’m inspired a lot by the short films we created and performed live over the past 10 years, and that has really put me in a more “visual” headspace when writing as well. I love writing music for film as well and seeing how the two disciplines cross-pollinate. So I tend to pull inspiration from film and books – I think what inspired me the most for this one was the film Sunset Boulevard, especially Gloria Swanson. Probably quite a bit of The Shining as well. Things with a twisted, tragic humor involved.

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing this?

Well, our dog Strelka was always my in-house critic especially when recording and editing the songs. She has this snort that she does; like a little piglet – when she’s trying to get your attention or seemingly disapproves of something (that’s my guess, anyway) . She’d be sitting on the sofa behind me, keeping me company,  and I’d play something back, quite excited and proud of it, only to hear her do her trademark, unimpressed snort when I pushed stop. Sure keeps the ego in check!

What’s your favorite place or environment to write?

I find I’m at my best creatively when I’m totally isolated (with the exception of a good coffee shop) & in the position of being an observer…I have this fantasy of writing the next record in a remote cabin in Oregon. I have a tiny attention span as it is, so I need all the help I can get. A remote redwood forest, excessive coffee intake & Strelka to keep me grounded, snorts & all.

What’s a record that shaped your creativity? 

Probably the most influential one would be Pet Sounds. The earnestness with which it was made, the single-mindedness, the ambitiousness and how pure it was. It took me years to really wrap my head around it. 

Who is an artist or band you look up to today?

I mention her all the time ( I swear I’m not too obsessed) but I’ve been a huge admirer of Gazelle Twin for ages; her album, Unflesh, was just incredible, as was Pastoral. She really is a force of nature, totally brilliant, uncontrived & original. 

What excites you the most about what you do?

Just the idea of doing what I love: creating and performing. That being available to me is incredibly exciting. After all the industry has been through, especially in the past two years, it’s something I’m incredibly grateful for.