( CNN ) -- First , you have to get past the name . JJAMZ -- pronounced with a stutter on the `` J '' -- sounds more like a Nickelodeon TV show than a hipster supergroup . Yet its musical pedigree is impressive , boasting members of Maroon 5 , Phantom Planet , Rilo Kiley , Bright Eyes and The Like . `` The band really just started out of our friendship , '' says James Valentine , who is best known to mainstream audiences as the guitarist for Maroon 5 . `` It literally started on a night when we were all just hanging out , drinking together , and we decided , 'Hey , why not write some songs ? ' So we did . '' The result is `` Suicide Pact , '' their debut CD , released this summer on Dangerbird Records . The disc features 10 dreamy indie pop tracks -- from the retro-sounding `` Never Enough '' to the Madonna-esque lead single , `` Heartbeat . '' `` All of our previous engagements and bands we were in before this sort of took breaks or ended around the same time , '' explains Z Berg , the only female in the quintet . `` We all kind of magically were able to make this a real band , which is cool . '' Berg first gained notice as the 15-year-old vocalist of the girl group The Like . In JJAMZ , she trades off on lead vocals with Phantom Planet front man Alex Greenwald and solo artist Michael Runion . Drummer Jason Boesel , whose credits include Rilo Kiley and Bright Eyes , rounds out the band with guitarist Valentine . The five say they 've been best friends for more than a decade . `` There 's a lot of history in this band , and you just have to wonder what it is , '' Berg teases . `` It would be a really good 'Behind the Music ' if we got into how entangled all of our lives are , '' Valentine says . `` It would be the best 'Behind the Music ' ever . '' But Boesel says : `` No way we 're going to top Motley Crue . ''
`` Suicide Pact '' is JJAMZ 's debut CD , released this summer on Dangerbird Records . `` Suicide Pact '' features 10 dreamy indie pop tracks . The album was recorded in a studio with the help of producer and engineer Chris Lord-Alge ( who also produced for U2 ).