Tranquonauts 2 – new LP - Astro Green vinyl *Seedy Jeezus + Isaiah Mitchell + Tony Reed*

Label: Blown Music – BM023, Lay Bare Recordings – LBR060
Format: Vinyl, LP, Astro Green
Country: Australia
Released: Jul 29, 2024

Tranquonauts is a collaboration involving the creative input Seedy Jeezus band members Lex Waterreus, Paul Crick and Mark Sibson, Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless/Black Crowes and Tony Reed of Mos Generator.

After the release of the Tranquonauts debut album in 2016, spawned from conversation between members of Seedy Jeezus and Isaiah Mitchell, we are on the precipice of the second instalment in the journey that is the Tranquonauts, which this time includes Tony Reed. 



There wer long talks into the night about what to call the album, it was decided to call the second album “ Tranquonauts 2”.They had the title and they just needed the album. This took longer than expected.

In 2022, Isaiah Mitchell was finishing up a two year tour as a guitarist for The Black Crowes. This tour ended in Melbourne, Australia. So the chance was there to record the second album (T2) after the Black Crowes tour. Seedy Jeezus booked a studio in Melbourne and the following day they met up and locked themselves in, jammed for hours..., recording random thoughts ideas and just playing where the music went, with no expectations, except to have a blast and enjoy themselves.

Fast forward to late 2023, while Lex was in New York, he cut together from all of the recordings, an outline of what the second album would sound like. With so much material at hand, Lex also pulled out 2 songs to be added on a 7” in the deluxe version. Then it was sent to Tony Reed to mix and master. At this time, Tony was also invited to contribute to the album, which he did. Playing various instruments and adding vocals etc.

Side A Fugitives from the Void (pts1-3). Pt1 (Desolation) opens with Tony Reeds vocals creating the vibe of departure and leaving what you regret behind you. Pt2 (Into the Expanse) flows into a space journey propelled by the lead fuzz of Isaiah Mitchell, steering this ship into the unknown. Pt 3 (Between Worlds) brings forth the uneasiness and heart ache realising what’s left behind is no better than what you had.

Ground Control has been described as “early Kraftwerk, meets Neu while jamming with Joy Division ”. The song is about no matter how free we may feel, we are always still disconnected. The way to finally be set free is in the final lyric “to be yourself is to be set free”.