Nothing Shows EP, out 7/13/10 via Daytrotter

One shivers slightly, looking up there.

The hardness and the brightness and the plain

far-reaching singleness of that wide stare

Is a reminder of the strength and pain

Of being young; that it can’t come again,

But is for others undiminished somewhere.

- Philip Larkin, “Sad Steps”

For Keegan DeWitt, 2009 was the year away from home. Whether in Brooklyn, NY, scoring the newest Aaron Katz film Cold Weather (recently purchased by IFC Films), traveling up and down the east coast promoting the release of his debut album Islands (2009, Izumi Records), or trekking up I-65 from his current home in Nashville, TN, to Rock Island, IL, to record a remarkable Daytrotter session…time in his own bed was scarce. And after all that you’d think he’d want to just stay home for a good bit. Not the case…

For 30 days in the early fall and winter, Keegan crossed the Atlantic and holed up in a Parisian flat to finish work on what would become his stunning new 7-song EP, Nothing Shows. It was there that he’d meld the tender craftsmanship of his New York Times-heralded film scores together with the resonant lyricism found on the diverse Islands. And what emerged are 7 songs steeped in specific moments, locations, and emotions. Whether on the sad steps of Rome, in an empty schoolyard in suburban Paris, wandering the wintry streets of New York City, or taking a rainy late night bike ride down the streets of Nashville, each track on Nothing Shows plays a short glimpse into a particular time, place, and feeling.

This affinity and skill for articulating moments of substance – both little and small, mundane and profound – is not surprising for someone who is quickly becoming an in-demand name in the world of indie film. In 2009, Keegan’s film score work was featured on the Sundance Channel, HDNet, and most notably, in Cold Weather, a SXSW-standout that garnered attention on the cover of Variety magazine and in The Los Angeles Times following its premiere.

For a long time, it didn’t seem as though Keegan would be a songwriter at all. Growing up attending a fine arts high school writing screen- and stageplays, at the ripe age of 17 he left Portland, OR, for the exclusive SUNY Purchase film conservatory. All this time, music was mostly a way of journaling his experiences, a personal hobby. Keegan went on to attend the Atlantic Theater Company Acting Conservatory under Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and director David Mamet, as well as to serve as a Young Associate under the guidance of Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the actor built his acclaimed LABrynth Theater Company. All the while, Keegan continued to work on his music, playing shows throughout the Lower East Side and recording his own demos.  In 2006, childhood friend Katz recruited him to score his first film, Dance Party, USA.  (Because as Keegan says, “I was the only one he knew who did that sort of thing”). The film was one of 9 chosen to premiere at SXSW that year and even earned a favorable review from The New York Times, an incredible achievement for a first film without legitimate distribution.  He then scored Katz’s second film, 2007’s Quiet City, which again garnered praise at SXSW, a Critic’s Pick in The New York Times, and eventually earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination.  Keegan has since scored an additional 8 films, including Cold Weather.

And then early last year, he toured as both an opener for and guitarist with his sister and brothers-in-law’s band Roman Candle.  At their encouragement, he began recording his own material, which caught the ear of Chris Stamey (Whiskeytown, Alejandro Escovedo, Le Tigre), who shortly thereafter signed on to co-produce Islands.  Keegan has since toured both the U.S. and Europe on his own.

On the Nothing Shows EP – the title originating from the collected works of poet Philip Larkin – Keegan examines some of the poet’s most common themes: the passion of youth, the cynicism of disappointment, and the balance of idealism versus reality. Whether in quiet questioning or stomping exuberances, the EP also finds him exploring a dynamic sound palate. On standout “Say La La,” 20 voices stomp and clap as they declare, “We swam in the water, our hearts felt young.” The lovelorn “Michel Bizot” follows a subject as he haunts the streets of Paris, wondering, “Will I know your heart soon, or too late when it’s ruined by too much time alone?”, the tale woven into the gorgeous string arrangements of Eleonore Denig and the mesmerizing voice of Madi Diaz.  Closing out everything is “Hearts Beat Loud,” an urgent, dancebeat-inflected bike ride through the hot summer rain of a Nashville night.

Keegan has teamed up with indie institution Daytrotter (www.Daytrotter.com) to release Nothing Shows as the first official release sold exclusively through the site’s new Record Barn.  One of the most frequented indie blogs, Daytrotter was an early supporter of Keegan, showcasing his music in the 2009 debut session. The EP will be released on July 13^th as an exclusive digital download via Daytrotter and will also include with purchase a free, brand new session in lossless format.  A hand-designed digipak version of Nothing Shows will also be available at Keegan’s live shows and on www.KeeganDeWitt.com.