Transona Five were an indie space-rock band based out of Denton, Texas from 1996 to 1999. Founding members included Chris Anderson (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Foley (guitar, vocals), Annika Sparkles (bass), and G. P. Cole (drums). Rachel Smith (keyboard, vocals, guitar) joined the following year. Their songs were stream-lined and meditative, veering into ambient composition with minimalist guitar riffs echoing contemplation off each other.
Transona Five expanded on the rock made by their contemporaries, while expanding styles popularized by bands like Neu! and Stereolab (to the point where they took their name from the latter’s Mars Audiac Quintet album). They debuted with a 7-inch, and followed with The Melatonin Bullet EP. In 1998, Scott Marks replaced Annika on bass, and they went on to record the Duffle Bag LP, a split with Subterraneans titled Polyphase 1, and the Going Away EP before calling it quits in 1999. Chris Foley passed away in 2007, and any plans to reunited have been hushed since then. Scott Marks currently plays in Berkshire-based rock band Leap The Dips.
Transona Five , a double LP collection of the astral-rocker’s “hits”, plus some previously unreleased tracks, is out now on Sonic Surgery Records.
–Jon Hanson
Digital Wheat Paste 