Jacob Brandt Launches 1969: The Second Man Album In Time for NASA Anniversary

The upcoming album called 1696: The Second Man by theatre-musician Jacob Brandt is set for release this October. Being a theatre-maker, Brandt created the album with a narrative that revolves around the second man to have walked on the moon.

1969: The Second Man will be available for streaming on different platforms on October 1, 2020. Coincidentally, the date is also the 62nd founding anniversary of NASA. Music lovers and space enthusiasts can pre-download the album on Spotify.

Included in the 1969: The Second Man album are updated versions of songs from the well-received theatre production of the same name. The live production premiered at Fourth Street Theatre last August 24, 2018. Tickets were sold out during its limited run.

The story is about Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. When reporters asked if he wanted to be the first and beat Neil Armstrong to it, he responded, "I didn't want that because of the added heartache." The CG character "Buzz Lightyear" from Toy Story is based on the American astronaut.

Born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., he earned the nickname "buzz" when his little sister mispronounced "brother" as "buzzer." He shortened it to "Buzz" and even legalized the name in 1988.

The space epic album by Jacob Brandt is described as folk-rock fable and is the perfect soundtrack for people who are mere runner-ups and never on the top. The sound is moody and mesmerizing - as it tells the story of exploration, competition, and finding one's way "back to earth."

Brandt performed the album's vocals, guitars, ukulele, mandolin, and synth. Paris Ellsworth worked on the album's violins, Robin Buyer on bass, Seth Eliser on drums, Jonah Scott on lead guitars, and Mateus Falci on synth. Scott did the lead guitars on songs "Zero Gravity" and "The Call," while Falci worked on the synths on the track "Moon Facts and Fictions."