St. Louis quartet Hot Joy today shared “Folded Tongue,” the second single previewing their debut EP, Small Favor, out April 19th. The shoegaze-inflected, fuzzed out track is out now alongside a music video directed by the band’s drummer Wil McCarthy, who also created the projection animations.

Showcasing Hot Joy’s charming vocal interplay between lead singers Austin McCutchen (guitar) and Nicole Bonura (bass), “Folded Tongue” follows the EP’s infectious lead single “Fingers on my Side”

“This was the first song I wrote for Hot Joy. Its first appearance in my phone’s voice memos is January of 2021 and it was the first song I sent to Curt Oschner (guitar) when talking about starting this project,” explains McCutchen. “This song is sort of about being afraid of confrontation, but leaning into it because you know it’ll make your life easier in the long run.”

Bonura adds: “The line ‘don’t separate the fact and fiction, I need it in the world right now’ speaks to the struggle of being honest and authentic in difficult situations. While it may seem easier to feign agreement to avoid immediate discomfort, this approach ultimately leads to greater issues. The song explores the tension and difficulty of being true to how you are really feeling or what you need to say, even when it’s uncomfortable. It highlights the importance of not just going along with things, but being honest about one’s feelings and beliefs.”

Composed of four longtime friends and members of the city’s DIY scene, the band’s welcoming bond is what anchors their galvanizing and effervescent sound. Small Favor is an unrelenting dose of infectious, fist-raising choruses, muscular guitar theatrics, and ramshackle exuberance.

Hot Joy Live:

3/23 – St. Louis, MI – Central Stage (supporting Sinai Vessel)
4/07 – St. Louis, MI – Backside (supporting Paul Cherry and JW Francis)

Stream “Folded Tongue” HERE.