Photo by Jack Karnatz
Chicago indie-soul songwriter and producer Jake Dinneen dons the name Jacob on the Moon to show his beachy side of indie-pop. With a touch of yacht-rock right before summer, Dinneen has let his songs take on a new sound and meaning going from the home studio to the live band recording. Working with Rick Fritz at Audiotree Studios for the aptly named Live! From Earth, Jacob on the Moon announces this new live album today with the new rendition of his single “Surface” in The Big Takeover.
The upcoming live album, which he’s releasing on September 12, features new renditions of his previous songs except for one unreleased song. Dinneen said with the exception of this one song, most of these original digital releases were recorded and performed by him alone in his home studio.
Dinneen said of the lead single, “It’s really the perfect example of the kind of life the rest of the players in the band breathe into the music I write on my own. Where the original studio recording was somewhat timid and unsure of itself, this live version is totally confident and energetic.”
He began the project in 2019, but fast-forward five years later the band, and his songs, have taken on a new meaning. Dinneen also first began learning music as a drummer — as a result, rhythm is central to his songwriting and is often the backbone of his songs, heard on the driving rhythm and syncopation of “Surface,” dropping the keys and guitar midway through the song to highlight the drums, bass, and aux percussions before ending the song with a ripping and roaring saxophone solo.
Dinneen said, “While the songs themselves aren’t necessarily new, these live versions are and they’re full of life. I wanted to capture this band, this moment in time, and document how fun it is to perform with this group. These live tracks are now my favorite version of Jacob on the Moon so far.”
Visit the band on Instagram, and follow them on Spotify.
