Pellytwins’ Weblog is stoked to unveil the very first studio recordings from New Jersey’s Modern Hut — the indie rock project of Joe Steinhardt, founder of New Brunswick punk label Don Giovanni. And it sounds just like that. Joe seems to draw influence from our favorite chapters of Our Band Could Be Your Life: big, Mascis-like guitars with a distinct and monotone drawl that endearingly recalls Calvin Johnson, all with the honest, catchy thoughtfulness that pervades his own label’s catalog. Stream his first single, “Wrong,” above.
Also stream its B-side, “Life,” which features guest vocals from Screaming Females’ throaty front-shredder Marissa Paternoster. Marissa produced the tracks at NJ’s Hunt Studio, where Screaming Females recorded their past two records; she plays drums, while Fid from The Measure (SA) holds it down on bass. Whereas “Wrong” is unequivocally rooted in Joe’s pop-punk unbrining — he played in NJ band For Science until 2008 — “Life” shows Modern Hut’s affinity for honest, straightforward lyricism that captures life’s candid moments, reflecting on life, death, and boredom, while maintaining a sense of humor about it all.
“A lot of songs are very whimsical and carefree. They’re all about surfing and hanging out and partying, and all of these things that life really isn’t, ” Joe told us. “I’m just trying to write songs about the things you actually do in life.”
Three years in the works, Modern Hut’s debut release, for which Joe is seeking a label, is out later this year.
Follow Joe via twitter.com/dongiovannirecs.
Words by Jenn & Liz.
