Following last month’s release of the widely-cherished single “Fantasyland,” rising pop trio Moody Joody have unveiled their latest track, “Average Joe.” The song serves as a compelling preview of their forthcoming debut album, Plain Jane, which is set for release on October 30 via Photo Finish Records. As the band continues to build momentum, “Average Joe” stands out as an effortlessly intuitive and undeniably smart addition to their growing catalog, focusing on the complexities of modern courtship.
The track offers a sharp, melodic critique of performative masculinity, dissecting the frustrations of dating someone who relies on clichés rather than genuine connection. With lyrics like, “Sit in your brickstone apartment/And you sip your manhattan/New York Times morning crosswords/don’t make you more of a man,” the band captures the humor and the struggle of navigating modern romance.
A Cathartic Exploration of Modern Dating
Co-lead vocalist Kaitie Forbes describes the song as a deeply personal moment on the record. “It leans into the toxic cycles I went through in my twenties of falling for unavailable, performative men,” Forbes explains. “It’s that raw disappointment of realizing you fell in love with potential and not the person standing in front of you. This one’s for anyone who’s ever been personally victimized by an ‘average joe!’”
Bandmate and co-lead vocalist/synth player Kayla Hall echoes this sentiment, noting that the song emerged from a place of frustration. “The idea for ‘Average Joe’ came after yet another situationship where this person did and said all of the right things in the beginning just to turn it around,” Hall shares. “The bridge of the song fell out in a fit of rage the next day. It’s felt like a slow burn—which I’ve come to appreciate in life and in relationships. ‘Average Joe’ leaves you with this powerful energy of lingering feminine rage.”
Multi-instrumentalist and producer Andrew Pacheco highlights the collaborative effort behind the track’s sound. “It was one of the last songs we finished writing for the record,” Pacheco notes. “It took a couple sessions to really nail down the right direction, but once we found it, it became this really important cinematic moment on the album.”
With a sold-out NYC show behind them and a performance at the Maine’s 8123 Fest scheduled for January, Moody Joody are poised for a significant breakthrough. Having already amassed over 21 million global streams and garnered support from major outlets like Rolling Stone and The Fader, the trio is cementing their place in the pop landscape as they prepare for the release of Plain Jane.