Lately I’ve been finding lots of music by following indiepop friends on different social media. So many of the bands and songs I share here I found through them so I want to thank them and give them so credit. Especially to David from Madrid and Heinz from Hamburg. They discover lots of new music all the time. It is really incredible.

So what can I share that’s new this week?

Asilomar: Heather, Ray, Chris and Sarah form this new band from Pacific Grove in California. They only have one song on Bandcamp called “Shimmer and Faded” and it is brilliant. Really surprising that such a good song is their first ever track. I look forward to more!

Soft Blue Shimmer: another shoegazy California band, this time from Los Angeles. The band is formed by Charlie, Kenzo, Martin and Meredith and will be releasing a tape called “Nothing Happens Here’ on June 28th. This EP will have 5 tracks, and we can already preview one of them, “Chamoy”, which is terrific.

The Reds, Pinks & The Purples: more from California, and more by this San Francisco band that is way too prolific! The latest are two tracks, “I’m Worried About the New Wave” and “Boys in the Gang” a cover of 999. Ive written many times about them, so they don’t need introduction. Just check out their jangly music.

Cristina Quesada: “Bailar Conmigo” is the latest song unveiled from the upcoming album “I Think I Heard a Rumour” which will be out on LP and CD in a few days (April 26th!). This lovely song was written by Teresa and Ibon from Le Mans and of course performed by Cristina. Get the volume up and prepare to dance with the super catchy chorus.

Life on Venus: the latest on Shelflife Records is this 4-track EP by the Moscow based band. If you like your shoegaze, the four songs recorded at Powerhouse Studio are great. You get three originals, “What Lies Beneath”, “Silver Screen” and “For the Kill” and, one of them, “Girls”, is a cover of Fawns of Love. I believe it is only available digitally at the moment. Not sure of physical plans!

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Time for the letter J. And it is also time for an American band. One that released 1 album and 2 singles in the 90s. Sounds good?

Let’s start with their first record, a single, a single sided 12″ (WISH004) that was released in Slumberland’s sub-label I Wish I Was a Slumberland Records in 1994. This label that was set up as a promo/mailorder label has released a bunch of great bands through the years, from Go Sailor to The Aislers Set. Jupiter Sun put in this record 5 songs, “Blow Up”, “Violet Intertwine”, “Accelerate”, “Tomorrow” and “Headling Beam Reaction”. The record was hand-numbered and was limited to 500 copies. There were copies on black vinyl and also on grey vinyl. It came with an insert where we could find the credits. And thus I learn about the band members.

Steve Chang was the bassist, Ollie Moore the drummer, Matthew Murdock (also later in Mover) played guitar and sang. Jeff Saltzman played tambourine and glockenspiel. We know too that the songs were recorded at Astral Sounds and Mysterious Cave in 1993.

They didn’t continue on Slumberland. Instead they were to release an album on Parasol Records in 1995 titled “Atmosphere”. The album had 12 songs: “Thoughts”, “Zookeeper”, “Sometimes I Feel Fine”, “Inside This Room”, “Coming Down”, “Seven Years”, “Blow Up”, “Violet Intertwine”, “Accelerate, “Tomorrow”, “Headlight Beam Reaction” and “Supernova”. They had the help of  guitarist Paul Tyler from the band Mover on four of these songs. We also know that The first half of the record was recorded in Yoshie’s Living Room in December 1994 and mixed at the Mysterious Cover in January 1995. The rest of the songs we know them from the previous release.

Then in 1997 the band released in their own Phase 45 Records a CD EP called “Looking Up” (001) that included the title song and “Honey Thief”, “Out of the Blue” and “Vox”. Something interesting here is that Matt wasn’t the main vocalist anymore but Nate Rockwood. And even a bigger surprise, which I didn’t know nor expect, Ollie the drummer was replaced by Rob Uytingco who I know of course because he played in the superb Bay Area band Starry Eyed Cadet! Small world indeed! The songs were produced by Jeff Saltzman.

There is another “release” listed on Discogs, a tape with the same two songs on each side, “Looking Up” and “Out of the Blue”. It was a tape called “Sampler” and it is clear that it was made for promotional purposes.

And only one compilation appearance is listed. Two of their songs, “Headlight Beam Reaction” and “Violet Intertwine”, were included in the classic Slumberland comp “Why Popstars Can’t Dance” (Slumberland 31) from 1994.

Now, you’d be surprised to know but there is a website for the band that looks from the late 90s! This website has a cool gigography of the band and we know because of this that the band was around 1992 and was still playing up to 2001. They mostly played in San Francisco area (San Jose, Palo Alto, etc) but also in San Diego and Mesa, Arizona. They played with great bands like The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group, The Earthmen, Henry’s Dress and more.

Something interesting that I find on the website is that before the band was Jupiter Sun, the members were in a band called Silver who were around 1992-1993. But also at some point they were called Snowball with whom they put out a 7″ on Silver Girl Records.

Then I find some facts about the band. For example the principal songwriters were Matt Murdock and Steve Chang. Their song “Honey Thief” reached Top Charts in Garageband.

I keep looking and I find a Soundcloud! Wow, with many tracks in it! Some rare tracks I believe. Worth checking out “I’m Over You”, “Circus”, “Violet Intertwine (demo)”, “Washed Away”, “Pacific”, “We Can Take This Boat” and “Pebbles in my Mind (Rough Mix 06/07/2018)”.

That’s about it on the web for Jupiter Sun. I can’t seem to find any more information. I am sure many Bay Area popkids remember them, right?
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Listen
Jupiter Sun – Zookeeper