Keegan DeWitt‘s “Say La La” is the head-nodding, anthemic sing-a-long that so many lo-fi, one-member-too-many bands have tried unsuccessfully to write in Arcade Fire’s post-Funeral wake. Striking an instantly memorable balance between the Canadian band’s pop tendencies and the smart indie brashness of Isaac Brock, the song shakes with a confidence well reflective of its writer’s storied pedigree. DeWitt, an actor-turned-composer whose work in the latter role has provided the musical spine for several critically acclaimed independent films, shows us on “Say La La” that he’s just as comfortable writing a hook as a heady score, though he’d probably be the first to say the two songwriting forms aren’t mutually exclusive. With its anchoring groove and tight, melodic playfulness, the song excites not simply because of its standalone brilliance, but also because it comes to us from Nashville, a city that’s too often perceived as musically homogeneous. “Say La La” is the first single from the Nothing Shows EP, which is set for a July 13 release through Daytrotter’s new Record Barn concept.
“Say La La” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/SayLaLa.mp3
