JJ72 - JJ72

Advantages: Simple effective songs, mix of soft and gentle to loud and uplifting
Disadvantages: Slow in places, no backing vocals from Hilary

What JJ72 stands for is debatable. Janis Joplin as an influence? 72 being the weight at the time of her demise? Unfortunately JJ72 have broken down during the summer of 2006 having been around for over a decade. An indie rock band from Ireland, JJ72 were known to be Mark Greaney, Fergal Matthews and Hilary Woods, who would leave after the second album. She would be replaced but JJ72 never got around to releasing a planned third album. This self-titled ...
...Mark Greaney writes all the songs, plays the guitars and sings in the band. His songs are usually composed with a handful of obvious chord voicings, much strummed on his guitar. Lead guitar work is sparse; only the opening track contains a guitar solo, although he'll use the occasional effects pedal in his playing outside of the familiar clean-to-distorted tone switch. This formula would be evident in a number of the singles lifted from this album. ... Read review

Advantages: Broken Down' and 'Improv'
Disadvantages: The noise!

...first as my memory of JJ72 is from years ago when they got over played on the radio, I remember that voice and thinking what a horribly whiney bunch of garble, I now know the voice to belong to Greaney. Great start to the album, oxygen and willow, deeply relaxing tracks with great inclusion of the violin, always like to hear that on a popular music album. And here I'm glad to hear Greaney's voice is not piercing my ear drums but is being used very ...
...Snow, now this is what JJ72 should focus on and work upon. The lyrics actually mean something under close inspection, Greaney actually uses his emotions here and sounds fairly annoyed when he's crying "why wont it snow", very pleasing that he portrays the songs feelings. The album travels along these lines for the next couple of tracks, 'Broken Down' and 'Improv' both being acoustic in feeling with little added on in the recording process, these ... Read review

Advantages: A promising debut
Disadvantages: Formulaic, by no means a classic

...good band for once. JJ72 are a dark band. They mix the fragility of Jeff Buckley with the power and insightful lyricism of Nirvana and no, I will not mention the ‘R’ word as they sound nothing like that band at all. Their debut album is actually a promising affair. While it offers the usual traits of a debut album, lacking ambition in sound and naivety and may not have the consistency of a great album and it offers an interesting first ...
...too and certainly proves that JJ72 have it in them to produce greater works. When this album is re-evaluated in the years to come, I very much doubt it will be seen as a great debut. I wasn’t really disappointed as such because I’ve come to expect debut’s to be good and not great. The fact that a new Irish act has sprung up is refreshing. The one serious problem I have with this album is the sleeve. It seems to be devoid of any ... Read review

Advantages: Different to the norm.
Disadvantages: Confusing lyrics.

...listener, and Im sure every JJ72 fan has a different opinion on what the lyrics actually mean, such is the subtle complexity of them. My favourite track is Way down south, a track typical of JJ72. The song shares many traits with other tracks on the album, what with its fast drum beats, the shrill schreeching of Mark, or the excellent backing bass provided by the lovely Hilary. All the tracks on the album say something to you, and leave you humming ... Read review

Advantages: Some great tunes...
Disadvantages: But some naff ones too.

JJ72 have been much championned of late by the British press as indie music's next big thing; maybe justifiable as they have a classic mis of outstanding male vocalist and gorgeous female bassist, but not quite as tenable on a musical basis. This is a decent enough album, and the three singles stand out - 'Snow', 'Oxygen', and the gushing ode to Manic-eqsue nothingness that is 'October Swimmer'. Add to that list the dying swoons and driving force ...
...stuff, becomes rather monotonous. JJ72 are a great band, particularly live, but there's still something lacking here. The main problem is that, for all their excellence in performing, they simply need to be a bit more original with the songwriting. Then they may truly become Britain's next big thing. ... Read review

Advantages: Fresh, talented new band, break from the boy/girl/plastic bands.
Disadvantages: Not everyones cup of tea, not lyrically brilliant.

...¬ History of the band: ¬ JJ72 consist of three members, Mark Greaney (lead singer and guitar), Fergal Matthews (drums) and Hilary Woods (bass guitar and back-up vocals). The band joined in 1998 when they were still at school in Dublin and you'd be forgiven for thinking 'oh another teenage boy/girl band' but you'd be wrong in this case! The band are a long way from being a 'Westlife' or a 'Boyzone' (even though all look young and cherubic and evidently wouldn't look out of place in either), they are in fact a guitar based band and a pretty damn good one at that. The band don't really have any influences but there is a bit of 'Radiohead' in there somewhere im sure! Mark Greaney writes all the bands music and has a very distinct voice (probably not to everyone's taste as he can get quite carried away but still he can more... Read review

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Advantages: see op
Disadvantages: see op

...Ø Introduction. JJ72 consist of three members – Mark Greaney, Fergal Matthews and Hilary Woods. The band started off when the male members of the group decided to get together and play in a band Mark is the lead singer as well as being the guitarist and songwriter and Fergal is the drummer. The boys were without a bassist and after seeing Hilary perform in a school production of Sweeney Todd they asked her to join and it formed the beginnings of a great band! *Mark Greaney – Lead vocals, guitar and songwriter. Mark played the violin from an early age giving him the chance to get more familiar with music and consequently became the songwriter he is today. Influences is his writing are said to include Nirvana and the Manics. *Fergal Matthews – Drums. Fergal was the one who approached Mark about forming... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: quality music
Disadvantages: Errmmm......

...I bought JJ72's rather originally titled debut album 'JJ72' just last week mainly on the strength of the wonderful 'Oxygen' and their latest single release 'Snow'. i wasn't expecting the rest of the album to match the high quality of these two songs but to my delight it pretty much did. This is one dam good album one of the best ive bought since I completed my 'Beautiful South' record collection. The albums tracks are on the whole very soulful filled with the tones of electric guitar. The majority of tracks are also fairly sad so this is not an album for a get up and dance party but when on your own this sure is one excellent album. My favourite tracks are probably the aforementioned 'Oxygen' and the unreleased 'Fallen Angel' but there is not a single bad track on the album making this a truely great debut. All I can say... Read review

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