SIRIUS Radio’s Alt Nation channel first brought Jupiter One into my life last summer while living in Minneapolis. It took my relocation to Brooklyn—their hometown—to finally catch them live. Their Friday night headlining performance at Mercury Lounge was a dynamic reunion between the band and their loyal local fans in a modest bar atmosphere.
Still high on the success of their self-titled major label debut, Jupiter One announced that their upcoming LP will arrive in stores this summer. The audience was treated to a sampling of those new tracks, as well as several favorites including "Unglued" and "Wrong Line." The new material left something to be desired, sounding increasingly more pop-friendly and far less synthesized. With their songs featured seemingly everywhere (TV shows, advertisements, and video games), it remains to be seen if the over-commercialization of the group results in a sophomore-slump that derails their promising future or propels them into the spotlight.
Singer K Ishibashi did his best to convince me of the latter by demonstrating his passion for their sound throughout the set, bringing an energetic, soulful and coy attitude to the microphone. The night commenced with their mainstream hits "Countdown" and "Fire Away," but it was the lesser known tracks like "Platform Moon" that seemed to resonate most with the crowd.
Jupiter One reminds me of Jimmy Eat World, which isn’t a bad thing considering Jimmy Eat World’s achievements. For a show based on a single album and a few new tracks, they gave the fans far more than their $10 tickets demanded. They remain on the verge of bigger things, but risk mediocrity and insignificance if they abandon the formula that has gotten them this far for a safer, more watered-down version. The youthful members of Jupiter One—full of optimistic views—seem to have the drive to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Check out a few witty stories from the road or watch videos, listen to tracks, and grab additional information about the group at their MySpace page.
