Dublin isn’t exactly the home of rock. We know a few bands that have come from Ireland, and now JJ72 hopes to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers. With members at the ripe age of twenty, JJ72 sound much older, smarter, and wiser than you’d expect.
At first I couldn’t believe it was a man singing. Mark Greaney’s pitch can go as high as any woman while staying strong and glorious. “October Swimmer” is almost Donovan-ish without being so folky. “Long Way South” puts off the similar falsetto you might find listening to Placebo, but the vibe isn’t the same.
“Undercover Angel” feels almost unattainable, almost beyond us. I have the feeling that everyone will get sick of hearing me rave about these guys, but there are no other words. “Oxygen” holds fort as well as the rest. “Surrender” shutters with pain of a world flipped over.
Even when JJ72 take it slow, as with “Willow”, you can’t help but close your eyes and pay special attention so as to not miss a word.
Out of twelve tracks only “Snow” didn’t turn me on, but that isn’t bad when you consider how many groups today get off an album with only one track that makes you high. And to make up for “Snow”, you only need to take a few hundred listens to the powerful “Alegria”. Wow. JJ72. I don’t know what that stands for, but I sure love the music they make.
+ rae gun
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