The local Granite State indie funk/cosmic country band is fresh off the release of their 2025 album Clearly Country, which dropped earlier this year. On September 5th, Modern Fools followed it up with their single “Summertime Moon.” We caught up with the band to talk about the inspiration behind the track and the making of the album.
“With Clearly Country (and ‘Summertime Moon’), we really felt it was important to capture as much of the tracking live as possible,” the band shared. “That’s why this one feels so glued together—most of those tracks came from a single take, with drums, bass, and guitars all in the same room.”
That approach paid off. You can hear the chemistry and unison in every note, creating a sound that feels both organic and timeless, like a summer memory preserved in song. Which is truly what “Summertime Moon” is all about.
“This song was written by Josh and was written to celebrate his teenage years punkin’ around New England, causing harmless trouble and generally being a goofball kid. A lil nostalgia and a little jammy,” the band explained.
And “a lil nostalgia and a little jammy” is the perfect way to describe it. The track transports you back to the easier days of childhood—when life was about having fun, causing mischief, and soaking in every moment without a care in the world. The interplay between guitar and keys dances effortlessly behind the lyrics, keeping your head bobbing until the song bursts open mid-way with a soaring solo. Keys, guitar, and drums come together in a jam that feels like the warmth of a July afternoon hitting your face as you cruise down Route 101 toward Hampton Beach for a carefree day in the sun.
Josh, who started the band and remains the primary songwriter, often brings the core of the tunes to Ian (bass), Jon (guitar), and Justin (drums), where the arrangements take shape before auxiliary instruments are added. It’s a process that’s been central to the band since forming in 2019, when they began carving out a sound they like to call “cosmic Americana”—equal parts retro country-rock and dreamy indie textures. Over the past few years, Modern Fools have shared stages with names like Steve Earle, Ryan Montbleau, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy, all while steadily refining their blend of rootsy storytelling and expansive, jammy grooves.
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