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Seedy Jeezus to Tour Europe in Aug./Sept. with Tony Reed on Bass

Posted in Whathaveyou on June 6th, 2019 by JJ Koczan

Hey, if it works, go with it. Last year, as they were getting ready to release their second album, Polaris Oblique (review here), Melbourne heavy psych rockers Seedy Jeezus announced they’d tour Europe with Tony Reed sitting in on bass. Reed, best known for his variety of musical projects including Mos Generator and his near-constant appearances in phrases like “mixed and mastered by…,” hails from Port Orchard, Washington, and had recorded with Seedy Jeezus in the past.

Clearly everybody got along pretty well, because here we are in 2019 and Seedy Jeezus will make a return to Europe toward the tail end of this summer with Reed once again handling the low end. They’ll also have Davide Straccione in tow, and my immediate response to the news was, “Live album please,” which was not greeted with an outright “no,” so I’ll take that to mean that at very least the thought isn’t abhorrent to them. That’ll do for today.

Specific dates for the run haven’t been announced yet, but here’s word from the band that it’s happening, as per the social medias:

seedy jeezus

Well folks …. it’s on !! We have snagged together enough shows to make it viable.

Seedy Jeezus ( with Tony Reed ) will be hitting the road again. Late August to Mid September.

We have shows in Germany , Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and France booked.

Many thanks to the folks who have helped us to put this together and to those who have offered to help us …. unfortunately we can’t travel everywhere, but we have notes for the next tour… we will be in touch.

Paul is unable to tour at this time… so Tony Reed ( the mastermind behind Mos Generator) has generously agreed to join us again along with Davide Straccione. He’s one of us now !! We love Davide

So expect venue and dates announced soon…. and please come out and say hi to us while we’re nearby.

Keep it Seedy !!

Seedy Jeezus is usually:
Mark Sibson – Drums
Lex Waterreus – Guitar/Vocals
Paul Crick – Bass/Noises

http://www.seedyjeezus.com
https://www.facebook.com/seedyjeezuspage/
https://laybarerecordings.com/
Ripple Music website
Blown Music website

Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique (2018)

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Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique: Light in the Sun’s Eye

Posted in Reviews on July 4th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

SEEDY JEEZUS POLARIS OBLIQUE

Theirs is a sound built on headphone-worthy psychedelia and 8-track-ready classic heavy rock groove, and when Seedy Jeezus made their self-titled debut in 2015, they seemed to know it. Based in Melbourne, the Aussie three-piece would go on later that year to release a standalone single titled Echoes in the Sky (discussed here), and would follow it with the 2016 live album, Live in Netphen: Freak Valley 2015 (discussed here), a 2016 collaboration with guitarist Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless and Golden Void called Tranquonauts (review here) and a 2017 single covering Led Zeppelin‘s “Communication Breakdown” (video premiered here). All of this has come alongside a healthy amount of touring, and word early on of a second LP in progress. With support in Europe from Lay Bare Recordings for the domestic Blown Music release, Polaris Oblique arrives as that sophomore full-length, with nine tracks and 41 minutes of classic-gone-modern heavy rock that brings all the bluesy thrust of Lucifer’s Friend and Black Sabbath and brings it into a now-style context; not at all retro, but strongly influenced.

The songs themselves — the longest of which is is 6:41 mellow groover “3 Million Light Years” — are rife with the chemistry between guitarist/vocalist Lex “Mr. Frumpy” Waterreus, bassist Paul Crick and drummer Mark Sibson and show a dynamic range that reaches from the unmitigated scorch of “Oh Lord (Part One)” to the subdued balladry of “My Gods are Stone,” which boasts a guest guitar appearance from the aforementioned Isaiah Mitchell, to the Floydian weaving of acoustics and electrics on the methodically-paced “Dripping from the Eye of the Sun.” Waterreus as a singer is capable of carrying across the variety of moods these tracks and the rest, and I won’t take away from the contributions of Crick and Sibson in terms of rhythm and enhancing the changes and deepening the execution overall, but at its heart, Polaris Oblique is very much a guitar album. Its foundation is in the riffs, and the recording — by Mos Generator‘s Tony Reed, who also adds lead guitar to “Oh Lord (Part Two)” — highlights lead work as a crucial element even as side B moves into its farthest-out in the penultimate nodder “Treading Water.”

Seedy Jeezus wouldn’t be the first heavy rock act to put the emphasis on guitar by any means, but the character in Waterreus‘ playing is a defining element here as well — so it’s both what he plays and how he plays it, whether it’s the swaggering rip and shuffle of opener “Intro – Polaris Oblique” or the laid back riding of the bassline he does in “3 Million Lives” following the post-Stooges shove of “Everything Will be Alright.” Add to this a remarkable sense of flow across the entire release, and Polaris Oblique almost feels like a song unto itself. Not that it was written that way — it’s definitely a collection of individual pieces, just that the way it moves between them almost follows a similar pattern of a classic structure. There are the initial rockers in “Intro – Polaris Oblique” and “Everything Will Be Alright,” a wistful departure in “3 Million Lives” and a dug in mellow groove on “My Gods Are Stone” before “Oh Lord (Part One)” kicks everything in the ass and the trilogy of “Oh Lord (Part Two),” “Dripping from the Eye of the Sun” and “Treading Water” dive deeper into psych-prog nuance and “Barefoot Travelin’ Man” closes out by returning to the earthbound vibrancy of the opening segment.

seedy jeezus photo barry c douglas

The whole album reads as a well-structured piece, with individual parts of what whole making their own impressions along the way, tied together by their focus around the guitar even as they express varying ideas and sensibilities. And it’s an added bit of intrigue that Waterreus would bring in Mitchell and Reed to play guitar. Sure, Seedy Jeezus has collaborated with both before — Reed also recorded the debut, and there was the already-noted Tranquonauts with Mitchell — but it’s clearly more of a personal choice. The band wanted those guys to be a part of their album. Listening to Waterreus shred to pieces on “Oh Lord (Part One)” and match wits with Reed on the subsequent “Part Two” it’s not like he can’t hold his own when it comes to tearing into a solo. It’s not like they’re covering for his not being up to the task by bringing in these players. One suspects it was as much about wanting to hang out in the studio with MitchellReed was obviously already there — as it was anything else. The results are striking either way.

One might say the same of the album in general. It’s not overly showy in terms of technical hijinks, but it does have a precise aspect to its personality, and it makes abundantly clear that Seedy Jeezus know what they want to get out of each track included, up to and including the raucous finish they provide with “Barefoot Travelin’ Man,” which smoothly brings Polaris Oblique to its finish by delving one more time into heavier blues pulsations and a fervent heavy ’70s groove, propelled by Sibson‘s drums, which are worthy in sound and delivery of a comparison to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. In fact, as much as Polaris Oblique puts the guitar at the center, it’s Crick and Sibson both who actively allow that to be the case. One gets the sense that either would be comfortable leading the charge, but that they’re well at home in the pocket as it is, swinging away and offering moments of flourish like that which Crick brings to the midsection of “3 Million Lives,” matching step with Waterreus‘ guitar ahead of a turn to speedy shuffle that nearly hits The Atomic Bitchwax levels of head-spin before resuming the song’s core slower tempo.

This dynamic too is emblematic of a classic power trio, and it works well in accordance with Seedy Jeezus‘ methods overall. In their aesthetic, craft and performance, they bring a traditionalist feel, and yet Reed‘s production is nothing if not shimmering with a modern clarity. Ultimately, this interaction is less of a push-pull than it is a rare alignment, and taken in consideration with the fluidity in and between the songs the whole way through, Polaris Oblique is a marked achievement when it comes to further establishing Seedy Jeezus as a presence of note in the international underground sphere. Whether you listen on headphones, on blaring speakers, on vinyl, CD or digital, there’s much to dig into and much to dig across the record’s thoroughly unpretentious, welcoming span.

Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique (2018)

Seedy Jeezus website

Seedy Jeezus on Thee Facebooks

Lay Bare Recordings website

Ripple Music website

Blown Music website

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Seedy Jeezus: Polaris Oblique Preorders Available

Posted in Whathaveyou on May 22nd, 2018 by JJ Koczan

seedy jeezus photo barry c douglas

There’s no exact release date listed below for Seedy Jeezus‘ impending second album, Polaris Oblique, but I’d imagine it’ll be out before or around the time the Melbourne three-piece hit the road in Europe — with Mos Generator‘s Tony Reed on bass no less — this coming July, and since “June” was the original timeframe floated for it, yeah, that makes sense. Either way, it’s coming and you can preorder it as of now from Lay Bare Reccordings which will handle the European release. It’ll also be out through Ripple Music distribution in the US and Blown Music in the band’s native Australia.

Of course, the vinyl’s limited and all that. Details follow, courtesy of the PR wire:

SEEDY JEEZUS POLARIS OBLIQUE

Seedy Jeezus – Polaris Oblique

In 2015 Seedy Jeezus released their 1st record on Lay Bare Recordings; in 2018 the 2nd record is ready to shatter your music spine. Called Polaris Oblique and on presale Monday 21st of May, 7am CET.

The band has evolved from the first album, but has retained their bite and bark. There are crazy jams and heavy riffs with a dose of 70’s influences that has always bubbled under in the bands sound since its formation. Many who followed the band since the first album will know where the band is at musically. There is a maturity in the band’s sound and songs. When they get mellow is an almost Floydian world you’re looking into and when they hit the heavy, you know it’s on. Strap yourself in and just wait….it’s coming

‘Polaris Oblique’ comes in a release of 500 pcs, of which 100 pcs are a DELUXE Version.
Each 100 pcs have a different color.

The European edition is LIMITED to 90 pcs. only and has its own unique color.
Exclusively available in Europe via Lay Bare Recordings.
– Gatefold
– Metallic Foil Artwork
– 150gr. vinyl
– Colored version

Click here for the pre-order:
?https://laybarerecordings.com/release/polaris-oblique-by-seedy-jeezus-lbr019

US & Canadian orders for the STANDARD version are advised to go here to save on shipping: http://heavyripples.bigcartel.com

Seedy Jeezus is:
Mark Sibson – Drums
Lex Waterreus – Guitar/Vocals
Paul Crick – Bass/Noises

http://www.seedyjeezus.com
https://www.facebook.com/seedyjeezuspage/
https://laybarerecordings.com/
Ripple Music website
Blown Music website

Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique album teaser

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Seedy Jeezus to Tour Europe in July with Tony Reed on Bass; Polaris Oblique Due in June

Posted in Whathaveyou on March 12th, 2018 by JJ Koczan

Looking like a busy summer ahead for Aussie heavy psych rockers Seedy Jeezus. Their second album, titled Polaris Oblique, is due out in June via Blown Music in Australia, Lay Bare Recordings in Europe and Ripple Music‘s distribution in the US — what? no Abraxas to cover South America? — and the following month, they’ll take off on a European tour for which they’ll be joined by none other than Mos Generator‘s Tony Reed, taking on the bassist role in place of Paul Crick, who’s unable to make the trip.

Reed is as natural a fit for the position as anyone could possibly be. He’s recorded both of Seedy Jeezus‘ full-lengths, and he guests on the new album as well — so too does Isaiah Mitchell of Earthless, with whom Seedy Jeezus previously collaborated as Tranquonauts (review here) in 2016 — so Reed is about as close as anyone can get to the band without actually being a member, which I suppose he will be now, at least for a time.

The dates are still coming together for that run — if you want Seedy Jeezus to play by you, hit them up and make it happen — but there’s plenty of time between now and June/July, so keep an eye out for updates. In the meantime, there’s a teaser video for Polaris Oblique that the band put up recently that gives a little sampling of some new music, and the sounds bode well. Either way, more to come.

Dig it:

seedy jeezus europe 2018

Tony Reed is playing bass on the tour for us as Paul can’t tour due to commitments. SO Tony who has recorded and produced both of our albums has offered to jump in and play bass for Paul on the tour. Tony Reed is like the 4th member of the band. We trust his instincts and ears when working with him, and he knows the music better than anyone outside the band…so his offer was an easy one to accept.

We are still looking to fill some dates on the tour, so if you have a hookup and wanna get Seedy Jeezus to your town, hit us up… we wanna gig, and share the love.

The teaser for the new Seedy Jeezus album ‘Polaris Oblique’. The album will be out in June, available via Lay Bare Recordings in Europe, and Ripple Distribution in the USA, as well as Blown Music here in Australia.!!

Video footage by Barry C Douglas.

Seedy Jeezus is:
Mark Sibson – Drums
Lex Waterreus – Guitar/Vocals
Paul Crick – Bass/Noises

http://www.seedyjeezus.com
https://www.facebook.com/seedyjeezuspage/
https://laybarerecordings.com/
Ripple Music website
Blown Music website

Seedy Jeezus, Polaris Oblique album teaser

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