Customer Reviews

Jj72

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even if you've never seen a picture of this band before the minute you hear this album you will be able to tell how young they must be. There is so much youth in JJ72's debut album, so much angst and passion that it could only have been done by teenagers. Now depending on who you are that might be a bad thing. Silverchair were never my favorite group in the world either, but JJ72 seem totally authentic to me. Although occaisonally naive, JJ72's debut has so much life in it that I think anyone will be won over.

Opening track "October Swimmer" begins with the line "the dream of dying Mothers" and goes on to talk about "infantry victims looking for sympathy." It's not perfect but when those lines are delivered with such honesty and by a teenager with one of the most interesting voices around it becomes quite apparent that these guys (and one girl) are hard to dislike. Same with "Oxygen," their hit single. It begins gently with singer Mark Greaney quietly pondering about "airports and undergrounds, waiting to find the unfound." Then the chorus kicks in with it's massive guitar's as he yell's "you and I we're going so high/we don't need oxygen." Then after that eruption it suddenly turns all cozy again as a cello finishes the song up. "Oxygen" is absolutely great. The passion released in this song really makes you wonder if other groups are even trying. "Willow" is a beauty as is "Long Way South." "Snow" asks the rather silly question, "why won't it snow like they said it would." It's delivered with such charm though that you really don't care how stupid it is.

Surprisingly enough the album manages to hold you right through to the end. (It is exactly 45 minutes long.) Although they do not have experience JJ72 do have a whole lot of angst that they want to release. They may sound like kids sometimes but that's part of their charm. They may have to grow up for a follow up but right now they're just fine...

I haven't felt this excited about an album since picking up the Pixies' Come On Pilgrim (and again when The Stone Roses had their debut). This one couldn't have come at a better time, I had the same five stale CD's in my player for weeks and everyday, I'd get up, put on my slippers and stand in front of my towering CD collection with the blankest of blank stares. It seems, for me anyway, that I have outplayed everything. Scary, huh.

I picked this one up many times at the store simply because the cover looked a little Joy Divisionesque. That's not a good enough hunch to go on, I know. But, as it turns out, JJ72's debut is quite a gem. It has a very friendly and cozy brit-pop feel, like Radiohead's Pablo Honey, and has the obscurity of a hidden secret ('cept in the U.K., where they are the biggest thing since ... hair).

The songs are instantly seductive and catchy, with underlying lyrics that make you wonder what's wrong with your life. Each song has a very autumnal aura to it, like they are beautiful fire-colored leaves fallen from your favorite childhood tree. There's not a bad song on the whole album.

I have the feeling they will become quite big in the rest of the world too, soon enough (certainly Japan). If I were you, I'd pick up this album now, so, later, when they are gigantic, you can say you were there first.

I've been listening to JJ72 for a while now, collecting their singles and continually being amazed by what these teen-age rockers can do. While the album doesn't offer much new for those who've heard their singles, it still sounds just as good as it always does, and now its all collected in one place. The songs are really unlike anything I've ever heard before. The lyrical style takes a little getting used to (it's done entirely in falsetto) but I quickly learned to love it, and makes for an interesting contrast with heavy over-drive guiatars and bass. If there's any one problem with JJ72, it might be that they need to work on the lyrics a little more - I'm sure they all looked good on paper, but some of them sound just a little bit absurd when sung out loud. Over all, though, the album is very good, and I heartily recommend it.

JJ72 seem to arrived on the scene and achieved moderate success very quickly.Most young groups from Dublin seem to spend many years gigging around Ireland and then if they're very lucky get a big break internationally somewhere.JJ72 seem to have taken 'The Cranberry' very quick route to success.This success has been achieved on the back of this c.d.-which received very promising reviews in the U.K.The group themselves have all the angst and pain of Radiohead-the vocalist Mark Greaney is up there with Thom Yorke for excellent falsetto type vocals.He also sounds quite like Brian Molko of Placebo,which made his disparaging comments about fans of that group seem surprising,especially as both groups sound quite similar.As for the music,JJ72 are a guitar,bass and drums combo.Nothing in the music is incredibly original or experimental.The quality of the song-writing is excellent as evidenced by the first 3 songs-which are all very catchy singles,that start off slowly and quietly and reach a loud crescendo after about 3/4 minutes.Unfortunately these songs are also the best the c.d. has to offer.It's a pity they didn't spread them out a bit more as sometimes you tend to just listen to these and ignore the rest.This would be a mistake because the other songs while not as catchy initially are also very good and have a greater musical depth then the singles.All in all this c.d. must rank as one of the best debut c.d.'s of the year so far,and is definitely well worth the listen.For a group so young JJ72 so as much promise as a young Radiohead or dare I say it a young U2!

JJ72 are a band, like many others who release good indie music and dont seem to get any credit. There self titled debut album opens with the eree October Swimmer as Mark Greaneys quit voice wispers over the strumming of the accoustic guitar then gets a heavy kick of destortion which makes the song complete. Songs such as Long way south, Bumble bee and Algeria, show, what only can be described as the heavy songs on the album which show a Nirvana related influence. For the softer songs on the album, Undercover Angel I feel gets spoiled by kicking it in with destortion, but all in all of the quit songs I do like improv, and how can anyone forget the song that broke them, Oxygen which is song that will be a sing a long at any of there live shows. All in all the album is Rock album with hints of Irish folk music which makes a great album with twists there is only one song that lets me down on the album which is, Snow. I cant wait for the next one.

JJ72 - I saw these guys at Slane Castle outside of Dublin. I owned there cd prior to this, but after seeing them live I have a even greater liking for the cd. I have been listening to it a lot and will continue to do so. Add this to your collection. You won't be sorry!

This is a complicated album that takes a lot of getting used to, but is well worth the effort. A strong, throbbing rock album with piercingly beautiful aspects, and some potentially classic songs, JJ72 is the work of a young Irish trio. The lead singer, Mark Greenay has the most fantastically spine-tingling voice, whose falsetto is powerful and moving. All emotions are evident on this album, which is amazingly well rounded for a debut. "Oxygen", "Long Way South", "Snow" and "Algeria", the singles, are stand out tracks, "Snow" being a great lament, quivering like a requiem, and "Algeria" being a powerful rock scorcher, that just pushes on and on. At first, it all sounds a little theatrical, but on repeated hearing, looses this, as its greater parts become evident. This is a wonderful album which will, in time, become a classic of its genre.

This album really is fantastic, it definitely has something special. I really dig UK bands and this is right up there with Travis, Radiohead, Coldplay and Oasis. There music has a great sound and every song is beautiful and amazingly good. I think anyone who likes good music that is in the brit rock category should pick this up. Im very glad I did, its the kind of album that is a real pleasure to listen to day after day

JJ72 have to praised for the originality of theri music. They can be placed in the same catagorey as Coldplay and Travis, but they still have their own individuality. The album contains the tracks Oxygen, October Swimmer and the recent single Snow. From the first to the last track on this album its easy to see why they are beginning to take the UK by storm. Lets hope they get the same sucess everywhere else

Just to correct the review beneath, JJ72 are Irish. The album is excellent