JJ72 - New album and in general... ?

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To me, JJ72 seem like a cross between the Smashing Pumpkins and Placebo... but much more glorious and less commercial (less commercial than the Pumpkins anyway).

Any thoughts? Anybody heard "I to Sky"? Thoughts on that... ?

― Tim D, Wednesday, 9 October 2002 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Haven't heard the new one but in general I quite like them. The music's great - but the lyrics rather less so. Wossname the singer's voice can sometimes really hit the spot and in others seem like a dreadful achilles heel..

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 10 October 2002 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Got some free tickets to a gig + their first album last year - the vocals/lyrics range from endearingly earnest "poetic" mish-mash to annoyingly earnest "poetic" mish-mash (having said that, the bit in "Algeria" that runs through the seasons is ace). & yeah, interesting to see a band that consciously derives a sound from the Pumpkins (esp since they're, ah, reclaiming bits of the Pumpkin's filtering of Joy Division & shoegaze etc etc!)

Can't say I'm planning to pick up the album or anything, but they've got some nice singles.

― Ess Kay (esskay), Thursday, 10 October 2002 05:31 (twenty-two years ago)

They're quite good. My dad taught the two fellas in the group, actually, so he monitors their progress with interest. The debut album is about 50/50 between the good and the crap, but "Oxygen" was great, and this gives me hope for them in the future. Haven't heard any new stuff yet.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 10 October 2002 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

A local paper gave JJ72's new album what I think is the worst rating they ever gave a record: 2.5/10, stating this was the kind of band that had contributed to almost killing rock with their bland, conventional post-grunge faux-goth soup. Christ. Are they that bad? As you can see, I was really astonished to read this surprisingly explosive stance against a band in a paper usually more moderate.

― Simon, Saturday, 12 October 2002 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

news just in :

"
After 11 years and two critically acclaimed albums which have sold in excess of 650k worldwide spawning a series of UK and Ireland chart hit singles including ‘Snow’, ‘October Swimmer’ & ‘Oxygen’ JJ72 have announced they are to split up with immediate effect due to record company issues. Mark Greaney is currently in the studio working on a new project with more details to be announced shortly.

Statement from JJ72

Reader, we are to let thee know,
JJ72's body only lies below;
For could the grave JJ's soul comprise,
Earth would be richer than the skies.

JJ72 was born during an Easter many seasons ago; today it dies on the cusp of midsummer eleven years later.
Mark Greaney, Fergal Matthews & Sarah Fox wish to express their deepest and darkest gratitude to all of those with impeccable taste who helped and supported the band.
" We remember everything, from mechanical birds in Japan to angels in arid Arizona, from broken bones and Berlin birthdays to predatory Portsmouth spiders. For those who disliked and perhaps despised (gasp) JJ72, thank you - how did beautiful photographs exist without a negative?! We crafted two monuments of magnificence for the future aural pleasure and pain of all would be JJ believers and doubters....and for those who care not for the passing of the petulant yet powerful pup....shame on you! Thank you to Hilary Woods for being a dazzling damsel and thank you to all who played music in/with the band. You know who you are. "

JJ72 decided it was the end as it did not want to undermine its achievements by continuing a ridiculous argument with a label that would not be able to support the release and touring of the third JJ opus - a label who lost funding from Sony/BMG some time ago.
"

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 22 June 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

That's incredibly petulant and overblown for the worst live band I have ever seen.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 22 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

As far as sign-offs go it's so fucking daft that it should become a meme. 650k sales worldwide, maybe 90% of which was for the debut.

― LC (Damian), Thursday, 22 June 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

1) i didn't know they were still going
2) HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 June 2006 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

1) The same as The Lex's
2) Can we have some pictures of the bass player now please?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 22 June 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

i can safely say - i have never heard a track by this lot .. today i spotted the album for 2 quid .. i still let it go. should i bother .. from the answers above - i suspect not. tis indeed the biggest, grandest exit statement thats ever dropped into my inbox. i couldn't resist posting the full thing ..

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 22 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

650k sales worldwide, maybe 90% of which was for the debut.

I'm not sure I knew there was ever even a second record.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 23 June 2006 00:47 (nineteen years ago)

the second record was ok. less awkward than the debut, but more histrionic. the dude was one of the worst lyricists i've ever heard.

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Friday, 23 June 2006 01:39 (nineteen years ago)

I loved this band and thought the second album was outstanding...sad day in my book.

― BeeOK (boo radley), Friday, 23 June 2006 03:01 (nineteen years ago)

eighteen years pass...

Heard them a while ago and surprised how well they hold up. Only heard the first album but I might get the other stuff and check out what followed after they split.

Hilary Woods never stopped making music and she has at least a couple of fans here.

Concerto For Constantine didn't last long. Can't find anything about Kollaps1 or Blodhvn.

"New musical work includes the project Vishion Factum, focusing on transhumanism and the aesthetics of succulent plants."
and I'm going to assume this one isn't even real.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JJ72

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 16 May 2025 20:28 (four months ago)

wow. I feel nostalgic seeing this band name. Oxygen is appealingly melodramatic.

― cajunsunday, Saturday, 17 May 2025 18:42 (four months ago)

"Algeria" was my favorite, I actually appreciate his voice a lot more now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpzksdPSB-k

― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 17 May 2025 21:19 (four months ago)

xp yeah me too, I have listened to their version of It's A Sin in the past few years but I had the album at university and don't think I've listened to it since

― kinder, Saturday, 17 May 2025 21:39 (four months ago)

This band reminded me of the Delays in a way. Their voices are very distinctive but haven't played JJ72 since around the time of release. Would play Delays again but have no desire to ever hear JJ72 again or Longpigs or Geneva or Ocean Colour Scene...

When I first signed up for ILM I had this username obviously.

― Bee OK, Sunday, 18 May 2025 02:42 (four months ago)

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