Portland’s MAITA are releasing their debut album Best Wishes in a few weeks, and they’re stoking the fire of excitement by sharing a new song and video called “Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet”. Principal songwriter Maria Maita-Keppeler tells us about the idea behind it:
“Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet” was inspired by my experience with college parties. Every weekend at some grimy house filled with young, drunk people, I would have that moment late at night where I stared into the crowd and remembered that death was waiting for all of us, regardless of how alive we felt. In those moments, everything would suddenly seem insignificant, and we became so naive and small. I wanted to hide the gravity of this truth within a song that felt vibrant and full of life, just as these dark truths were hidden for me within nights of intoxicated revelry. The song carries a different weight for me today, in the midst of this new Covid reality, where the dark truth seems more exposed than ever, and the quest for joy feels more urgent, almost desperate.”
As intended, the presence of death in “Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet” is covert, instead what comes shining out is MAITA’s irrepressible energy and carefree attitude. Singing with a tripping effervescence, MAITA sprinkle this sprightly indie pop song with plenty of imagery, wordless hooks and smirking asides. Even when the fatalistic lines do crop up, they’re entangled with such pleasant melodies that you’ll feel like your heart is soaring as you sway along.
The video for “Someone’s Lost Their Goddamn Wallet” was intended to be a house party scene, but what with one thing and another that wasn’t possible. This didn’t perturb MAITA though, who decided to create a joyous gang clip all filmed from their own homes, with chucklesome consequences – and make sure you stick around for the adorable ending.
MAITA’s debut album Best Wishes is due out via Kill Rock Stars on May 15. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
