Jupiter
in Velvet - In2 the Arms of Love
Jupiter
in Velvet has continued adding to his writing, performing, and recording legacy
with In2 the Arms of Love, a ten song collection, another full length studio
release. He’s proven to be one of the most fecund musicians working today since
his 2012 debut and turns out new songs and albums with such stunning regularity
that one might assume there’s an inevitable fall off in quality. It isn’t the
case. Jupiter in Velvet does a superb job of sustaining both the inspiration
and energy his songs demand over each of his previous releases and In2 the Arms
of Love is no exception. He comes out swinging from the first and the stylistic
mix bringing In2 the Arms of Love to full bloom is something sure to appeal
across a wide fan base. The songs are simply that good and the passion Jupiter
in Velvet brings to the performances makes them even better.
As
title cuts come, “In2 the Arms of Love” nicely balances accessibly and
ambition. It has a great melodic hook that grabs our attention from the first,
but it also has the electrified weight to make us sit up and take notice. This
is a powerful outing that gets the album off to a fast start and it shoots even
higher with the second track. “’Till the End of the World”. The guitar work on
this song is among the strongest on In2 the Arms of Love and seems to elicit an
inspired vocal response from Jupiter in Velvet. It’s quite amazing to hear how
he brings emotion and raucous energy together in each vocal without it ever
sounding too samey. The hot streak continues with the third track “I’m So
Ready” and it’s refreshing to hear Jupiter tackle a truly clinched fist, out
and out rock and roll song. The swagger he brings to the performance is a great
match for the musical arrangement and it’s a real sleeper pick for one of the
album’s best songs.
“Supercharged”
is a riled up, brawling pop rocker with just enough attitude to set it on fire
yet an equal amount of focus to utilize its energy in the best possible way.
Electronic instruments play an increasingly large role in the performances on
the second half of In2 the Arms of Love, but it’s all kept in balance with the
other musical colors at his disposal. “Carry On” has a decidedly modern,
precise quality, but it comes off with percolating rock and roll energy that
unleashes itself in memorable fashion. “Mars Ain’t That Far” is one of the
album’s surprisingly humorous moments, but it isn’t a track exclusively devoted
to humor. His songwriting manifests many different aspects of his personality
and some songs, such as this, reveal just how thoroughly conceived his musical
point of view is now. “Bang On” is a surprising track so late in the album’s
running time thanks to its irresistible melodic lift and how seamlessly they
bring the disparate sounds of electronica, pop, and rock together without it
ever sounding stitched together. There’s immense naturalness in each of the
tracks on this album that’s a result of many things. The primary thing,
however, is his freedom. Jupiter in Velvet sounds like an artist working
without fear and near the peak of his powers.
Gilbert
Mullis
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