Has it been awhile since you caught local duo Maybe, Baby? Then you may see a completely different set by the time they play U Street Music Hall next weekend. While their style is consistently marked by two-minute bursts of loud brash guitar and tight drumbeats, the songs don’t remain the same. Turns out that Maybe, Baby singer/guitarist Tennent McCabe not only has a voice that sounds a lot like departed garage rock hero Jay Reatard, he is just as prolific of a songwriter. The short spitfire tunes with bitter lyrical content are made all the more potent by the excellent drumming of Rachel Hortman. Hortman is speedy and precise, living proof that badasses can come in small packages. Considering that The Points have dissolved and The Shirks are taking a break, Maybe, Baby have stood up as the standard bearers for the punk-inspired garage rock sound that has always taken up a corner of D.C. music. We’re glad to have them.

We sat down with Maybe, Baby over burgers to talk about the challenges that come with prolific songwriting, the bands they’re excited to play with on their upcoming tour and the night that led them to install a futon in their minivan.

Find them online: Blogspot and Facebook

See them next: At U Street Music Hall for the “F**k SXSW” Windian Showcase on March 12th. 3 p.m. $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Buy their music: On the Windian Records website or at their shows.