Meet Modern Diet

A self-portrait by, Modern Diet

Would you rather…

bathe in nail polish or shower spoiled milk?

I would rather shower in spoiled milk because I think it would do less long-term irreversible damage to health…

Some questions with Modern Diet

Hello, how have you been?

Hot. Very hard to function in this heat but making it work. If anyone in another city wants to trade apartments next summer HMU! Otherwise, swell! Happy to have an album out for the first time in years! Lucky to be working as a producer/mix engineer with so many incredible artists.

What kind of candy would/do you give out at Halloween?

Dairy-free dark chocolate Reese’s cups with shots of espresso… Yum.

Your album “The State of Things” was recently released. Can you tell us a little about it?

The State of Things is out! The record is about breakups, post-grad nightlife, Bushwick mushroom trips, getting old, and feeling out of place.

The record is meant to be listened to in order from top to bottom.

How long has it been in the works?

I spent several years writing the songs on The State of Things and then about 2 weeks recording and mixing the whole thing. I think this is my new favorite way to work. It’s so easy to fall deep into the weeds changing tiny details and second-guessing entire arrangements when you work on a record for too long. 

What was the creative process like working on the album? How did you all collaborate?

This was the first Modern Diet record that I made mostly on my own. The record features Margaux’s vocals on Smaller (Track 01), Bernardo Ochoa playing a ripping guitar solo on Tabletops (Track 04), and Ian McNally’s violin parts on Make Sense (Track 05). Other than that, I played everything on the record. The pandemic made it difficult to collaborate for a long time - I think the manic and hurried nature of the process was a reflex to so much creative downtime.

What would you choose for your entrance music if you were a WWE wrestler?

“What Life Is” by Rubblebucket

Did you learn anything new recording this record?

I learned so much! Some big ones:  

Microphones are not as important as your Sweetwater sales rep will have you believe. I recorded everything on the record with one of two microphones and a single microphone preamp.  
I came up with my favorite bass lines when I was able to stop thinking about the chords/theory of the arrangement and just follow a note-to-note intuition of what would feel good next.  
Less is more! I got in the habit of deleting anything that didn’t obviously add to the song / the story / the sonic architecture of the track.  
I love shakers.

Where would be your dream venue to play?

Music Hall of Williamsburg. I think I’ve seen most of my favorite shows there. Great vibe. Great sound. Close to home! 

How was it working with Kyle Sims on the album artwork? What was the inspiration behind the collage cut and paste look for the cover on the record?

The collage that we used as the album cover is a slightly modified variation of a collage Kyle had made years earlier. I’ve always been a big fan of Kyle’s work and I asked if we could adopt the artwork before I started recording the album. The TVs on the album cover, like the songs on the album, are unique and seemingly unrelated perspectives that combine together to represent ‘The State of Things’…

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Two things:

Abortion is a human right.
The best artists I know creating the best music I’ve heard are all busting their asses to make it work. It seems like the US does not prioritize art or artists. To be a musician full-time often means forgoing benefits associated with full-time jobs like healthcare and a steady paycheck. The best thing you can do to support artists is to go to their shows and buy their music/merch. The best thing you can do to support artists which will not cost you anything is to ‘follow’ them and ‘like’ their music on whichever streaming platform you use, ‘share’ their music IRL and on social media, and send them a nice message about what their music means to you.

PS: We’ll be opening for our friends My Son the Doctor and Big Girl on October 20th @ The Sultan Room. TICKETS.

Modern Diet