JJ72 Going On The Road With The Stereophonics
By: Source: Mi2N Newswire -
December 17th 2001 3:11am
JJ72--the hot young alternative rock trio from Dublin, Ireland, who've already generated a serious following in the UK--will return to U.S. shores in January 2002 for a series of dates with the Welsh band Stereophonics (see itinerary following). JJ72 recently completed the group's first American tour, a highly successful cross-country trek which included dates with Columbia labelmate Pete Yorn, an opening slot for Coldplay, and headline engagements in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, and Boston. In Daily Variety (November 14, 2001), Troy Augusto reviewed JJ72's November 7 US debut headlining club gig at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and raved: "...new Irish indie rock trio JJ72, whose dramatic and impassioned music is as mysterious as its name, made a convincing SoCal debut at the packed Troubadour. (The) group...delivered a stirring set of three and four-minute guitar-driven nuggets, each one searing and angst-filled and inspired by such predecessors as Joy Division, David Bowie, Suede, Radiohead and Placebo.... Focal point of the threesome is singer, guitarist and songwriter Mark Greaney, whose confident delivery of high-toned and expressive vocals, slashing six-strings and biting lyrics of self-examination made for a compelling onstage figure." JJ72--singer Mark Greaney, bass player Hilary Woods, and drummer Fergal Matthews--has been receiving rave reviews for both the group's self-titled debut album and incandescent live shows since the European release of JJ72 on Lakota Records in September 2000. The album was named one of "The 50 Best Albums of 2000" in the January 2001 issue of Q who called the band "...a disarmingly young trio from Dublin (who) write and perform music to exorcise their angst.... the album reels with vein-bulging passion, the music by turns sedate, pretty and intense and singer Mark Greaney is in possession of a magnificent falsetto...." Released in the U.S. this past September on Columbia Records, JJ72 immediately got stateside critics buzzing. Matt Hendrickson gave the album a three-and-one-half star review in Rolling Stone (November 8, 2001), and raved: "JJ72 singer Mark Greaney boasts a sweet tenor that can coo like a new mother, then pierce like a jackhammer early on a Saturday morning. Colossal, anthemic tracks such as 'Undercover Angel' and 'Oxygen' start soothingly before propelling into a hurricane of tense guitars, pummeling percussion and searing vocals. The Placebo-esque romp of 'Long Way South' rollicks from the start, and the twinkly 'Not Like You' shows a softer side, during which Greaney proves that his library voice is as powerful as his wail." It's a sentiment echoed Time Out New York (September 13-20, 2001)'s music editor Elisabeth Vincentelli: "...JJ72 displays an arsenal of soaring, glam-tinged pop songs. But what really sets the Dublin band apart from the flock of sensitive U.K. outfits reaching our shores is frontman Mark Greaney's falsetto. When the music spirals ever upward, so does his voice--he's like a young Bono with serious angst in his pants." The UK press has been equally enthusiastic about the band. In the October 2000 issue of Q, Nick Duerden gave JJ72 a "4 star" review, writing: "This debut album is mature beyond the band's years, awash with grace, artful navel-gazing and a kind of serene majesty. 'Oxygen' and 'October Swimmer' are magnificent and flamboyant...the album, as a whole, is no small achievement." JJ72's live performances have likewise drawn lathering praise from the UK press corps. In the February 24, 2000, issue of The Guardian, Garry Mulholland reviewed the trio's live show at the Borderline in London and gave it a "4 star" rave: "'Snow' is a mini-masterpiece of power-angst, the verses all Smithsian jangle and fey dissatisfaction, before Greaney's guitar detonates the chorus and we get our first shot of The Voice....Doesn't anyone recognize a genius when they see one?" Stephen Dalton--in the October 20, 2000, edition of the London Times--wrote this after attending a JJ72 show at the Fleece and Firkin in Bristol: "...this youthful threesome play with a purity and exhilaration which feels newly minted....JJ72 began at full emotional pitch scarcely wavering for 50 blazing minutes. The raw simplicity and visceral feel of Greaney's songwriting belies an intelligent use of minimal ingredients. Strong melodies lie at the core of JJ72... few guitar bands of the last decade can match JJ72's towering recent single, 'Oxygen'...this supercharged sea shanty was just one of many majestic highlights on Monday, and not held back for the grand finale like a secret weapon." Now, as JJ72 return to our shores, it's time for American audiences to see and hear what the buzz is all about. JJ72 Tour Itinerary JANUARY 21 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues 22 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore 24 Portland, OR Berbati's Pan 25 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom 26 Calgary, AL MacEwan Hall Ballroom 28 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line 29 Chicago, IL The Metro 30 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's 31 Toronto, ON Kool Haus FEBRUARY 02 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 03 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts 04 Boston, MA Avalon 06 New York, NY Irving Plaza 07 New York, NY Irving Plaza Know it, love it: http://www.jj72.info
 Copyright 2001Tag It
| 
