Tag: JJAMZ

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Two Songs from: Z Berg

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zbytennessee

Photo by Tennessee Thomas

Z Berg (JJAMZ, The Like) has kicked off her solo career with some acoustic tunes. There are four altogether, all quite good. The acoustic format showcases both her voice – sunny with a touch of smoke, delicate, sweet but not cloyingly so – and the glimmering sharpness of the lyrics.

These two are the ones I particularly like.

First up: Charades, which I have a feeling is the one I will be humming while walking barefoot in summer rainstorms from now on:
 

 
And second: I Fall For the Same Face, which is for anyone who has ever, like me, looked at the rogue’s gallery of their objets d’affection and muttered I have a type and a problem with rueful amusement.
 

 
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2012: A Year In Pictures, October and December

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Johnny Hallyday, Beacon Theater, Oct. 7, 2012
 
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Blake Mills, Terminal 5, New York, NY, Oct. 16, 2012
 
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Fiona Apple, Terminal 5, New York, NY, 0ct. 16, 2012
 
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Fiona Apple, Terminal 5, Oct. 16, 2012
 
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Beast Patrol, The Studio at Webster Hall, October 19, 2012
 
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Alex Greenwald and Z Berg, JJAMZ, The Studio at Webster Hall, Oct. 19, 2012
 
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Alex Greenwald and Michael Runion, JJAMZ, The Studio at Webster Hall, Oct. 19, 2012
 
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Sweatheart, Terminal 5, New York, NY, Oct. 22, 2012
 
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The Dirty Pearls, Terminal 5, New York, NY, Oct. 22, 2012.
 
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Justin Hawkins / The Darkness, Terminal 5, New York, NY, Oct. 22, 2012
 
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Jeffertitti’s Nile w/ Father John Misty, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, Oct. 24, 2012
 
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Katy Goodman, La Sera, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, Oct. 24, 2012
 
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Father John Misty, w/ Jeffertitti, Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY, Oct. 24, 2012
 
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Lindi Ortega, Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, Oct. 26, 2012
 
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Mike Ness, Social Distortion, Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY, Oct. 26, 2012
 
Apparently I didn’t go to any shows in November, either.
 
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Sheena Ozzella, Lemuria, Webster Hall, New York, NY, Dec. 2, 2012
 
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Ceremony and stage diver going in to the pit, Webster Hall, New York, NY, Dec. 2, 2012
 
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Titus Andronicus, Webster Hall, New York, NY, Dec. 2, 2012
 
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Animal Collective, Terminal 5, Dec. 5, 2012
 
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Casey Neill, 68 Jay Street Bar, Brooklyn, NY, Dec. 8, 2012
 
IMG_8261 A small fraction – there are nine of them! – of Industries of the Blind, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY, Dec. 21, 2012

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2012: A Year In Pictures: July – September

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Alex Greenwald and Z Berg, JJAMZ, Webster Hall, New York, NY, July 10, 2012
 
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Michael Runion, JJAMZ, Webster Hall, New York, NY, July 10, 2012
 
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JJAMZ, Webster Hall, New York, NY, July 10, 2012
 
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Lita Ford, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Bret Michaels, Poison, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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C.C. DeVille, Poison, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Bobby Dall, Poison, Nikon at Joes Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Ricki Rockett, Poison, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
IMG_6354Poison, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Rick Allen, Def Leppard, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Rick Savage and Joe Elliot, Def Leppard, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Phil Collen, Def Leppard, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Def Leppard, Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, July 13, 2012
 
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Marcy Playground, Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA, July 28, 2012
 
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A. Jay Popoff, Lit, Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA, July 28, 2012
 
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Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray, Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA, July 28, 2012
 
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Art Alexakis, Everclear, Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA, July 28, 2012
 
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Art Alexakis (Everclear) and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray), Bank of America Pavilion, July 28, 2012
 
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David Kuckhermann, Beacon Theater, New York, NY, Aug. 30, 2012
 
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Dead Can Dance, Beacon Theater, New York, NY, Aug. 30, 2012
 
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Larry & his Flask, Webster Hall, Sept. 29, 2012
 
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Frank Turner, Webster Hall, September 29, 2012

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Postcards from the Pit: JJAMZ and Beast Patrol, the Studio at Webster Hall, 10/19/12

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One of these years I will get myself together and actually acquire a CMJ pass. This year was not that year. That said, while I only saw two CMJ sets, they were very good sets.

The event I attended was the CAA Showcase in the Studio at Webster Hall, and the first band was Beast Patrol, from Brooklyn. Beast Patrol are much heavier, aggressive, and face-melty live than they are recorded. Seriously, the music they have on-line is a shadow of their live show. They can shred.
 

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Sample track:
 
Disbeliever by beastpatrol
 

And then, switching genres at CMJ’s traditional breakneck speed, it was time for JJAMZ, of Los Angeles, who were their usual delightful power-poppy selves:
 

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Sample track via their latest video, which I love because it is a lyric video with French subtitles that uses mashed up footage from B-movies and anti-drug PSAs from the ’50s and ’60s:
 

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August Video Challenge: JJAMZ, Heartbeat

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And now, JJAMZ‘s homage to both The Police and ’80s horror movies, or, the creepiest video I have watched this summer.

Seriously, I love this song but this video totally gives me the howling fantods.

Naturally I must therefore share it with y’all so we can all watch it from behind our fingers together, preferably in the middle of the day with all of the lights on.

Even more seriously, I’m intrigued by how this song, and in particular this video for this song, combine to interact, if you will, with Don’t Stand So Close To Me, which is ALSO a pretty creepy song.

The video, is, like JJAMZ’s version, also set in a school, but has a distinctly playful feel.

All three of The Police are clowning around as the song plays. Sting, as himself, inexplicably wears puffy golden wings for the first minute or so, spends the last 30 seconds dancing with a lacrosse stick (was it Let Us Use All The Props Day?), and at one point, as the harried teacher, takes off his shirt Superman-style.

In stark contrast, what JJAMZ and director Eddie O’Keefe ask the viewer of their video to contemplate is: What if that teacher struggling with inappropriate desires was a killer?

All I can say is, I hope there’s a follow-up soon.
 

 

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Postcards from the Pit: JJAMZ, Webster Hall, 7/10/12

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Alex Greenwald and Z Berg, during LAX

I’m putting this shot first mainly because it is my favorite from the evening. I’m fond of the song, too, even though at first Alex Greenwald + what seems to be a frilly love song = major cognitive dissonance.

But by his second verse – So I carved both our names into my pale white chest/Asked you to do the same/It seemed a reasonable request/I nearly lost it when you said yes. – things have taken a turn back towards familiar and deeply weird territory.

Overall feelings: It was a great show. They powered through a selection of tunes from their new record, Suicide Pact (out now!), including the title track, Heartbeat (now with super-creepy ’80s horror movie video!), Never Enough, Cleverly Disguised,Get What You Want and Square One, and also did an awesome cover of Elastica’s Connection.

They are on the road with the NYLON + Starbucks Summer Tour through the end of July, and after a few of their own shows will be headed out with the Superhumanoids in August. Check their listings and see if they’re coming near you.

Here are a few more pictures:
 

IMG_6250 Z Berg and James B. Valentine

 

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Alex Greenwald

 

IMG_6285Michael Runion

 

IMG_6291Z Berg

 

IMG_6253Alex Greenwald, Michael Runion, and Z Berg. Jason Boesel is there but hidden by his drums!

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Y’all Need to Listen to This: JJAMZ

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First, an introduction.

Some of you may recognize those faces, but, for those of you that don’t, they are, from left to right: James B. Valentine (Maroon 5), Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet, Mark Ronson & The Business INTL), Z Berg (The Like), Michael Runion (solo artist, The Chances) and Jason Boesel (solo artist, Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes), and together they are JJAMZ.

Second, a brief meditation on the nature of film, and also of music and video. One of my friends recently noted that “the measure of a film may be how narratively clear and deeply moving it is even if you don’t have the language at all.”

I’d expand on that to say the measure if a music video is how narratively clear and deeply moving it is even if you’re watching it with the sound off.

I give you as an example the video below, for JJAMZ’s new song Never Enough, starring Z Berg and Brie Larson (21 Jump Street, United States of Tara) and directed by Eddie O’Keefe.

It is just exquisite. Beautifully shot, with delicate and precise use of color and light – both shimmery, golden Californian sunlight and harsher neon tones – it absolutely works as a silent film about a complex and passionate friendship between two girls.

That said, I definitely encourage you to watch it with the sound on, too, because the song is great.

Additional warning/enticement: contains tasteful semi-nudity, smoking, cute girls with guns, a glamorous party, and assorted alcohol-induced shenanigans. Bonus fun: spotting the musicians making cameo appearances in the party scene!
 

JJAMZ – Never Enough from Eddie O'KEEFE on Vimeo.

 

JJAMZ will be releasing their first record, Suicide Pact, on July 10, 2012, via Dangerbird Records.

To tide you over until then they have another song entitled Heartbeat available as a free download. I have listened to it several times now, and I can tell you that, as you might expect, they really know how to write a pop hook.

And, okay, NERD ALERT, but part of the reason I was playing it over and over again was to try and focus on the individual parts, specifically, the way the guitars are layered with the synthesizers, and then the way the guitar solo floats up through the hum and crash, like a ray of summer light breaking through dark clouds.

Get it here:

 
Finally, they will also be playing several shows around Los Angeles in the near future, and will be at The Satellite every Monday night in June. For late breaking news and updates, you can subscribe to their Facebook or Twitter feed.