Nebula
(Tee Pee)
Eleven years have elapsed since Nebula's last outing on Tee Pee (their debut EP, Let It Burn), but judging by Heavy Psych, it might have been yesterday. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that: forward movement and innovation aren't high priorities for this L.A. power trio. The title of this latest release -- an expanded rehash of a 2008 EP -- neatly encapsulates the sound they've embraced over four albums, indulging a strong aural fixation on Blue Cheer, Hendrix, the Stooges, the MC5, Sabbath and various other heavy, garage-dwelling friends.
Nebula's celebration of riffcentric, bluesy psychedelic rock is the perfect prescription for those who graduated high school in the mid-'70s but left a sizeable portion of their brain there, thanks to extra-curricular indulgence. Unbridled riffage, heady soloing, a liberal use of the wah-wah pedal and earthmoving bottom end are the order of the day on "The Dagger" and "Lead Sky"; a prominent python-thick bassline and Stooges-esque handclaps propel "In the Depths"; and "Aphrodite" slows things down to a doomier grind, even injecting some period authenticity with its vexed take on gender relations ("Woman, get out of my mind / set me free, I've done my time").
Needless to say, much of this is the ideal soundtrack for bonged-out, open-mouthed navel-gazing or for just staring in sheer wonderment at one's own hands for an hour or two. This is especially true of inner-space explorations such as the aquatic-oneiric instrumental "Dream Submarine," complete with tribal drums and an eastern vibe, and "The Other Side," which hitches a ride on Starship Hawkwind to orbit the outer limits.
Distinguishing Nebula from some of their fellow travelers is the fact that, despite largely staying within a relatively narrow set of retro coordinates, they don't simply grind out the same monolithic, head-nodding formula from track to track. They also try out alternate routes on their sonic trip: for example, the Molly Hatchet/Blackfoot-style stop-start boogie on "Crown of Thorns" rouses listeners from their dazed reverie; on "Little Yellow Pill," a down-home acoustic intro throws open the doors of Nebula's dark, weedsmoke-filled garage and lets in some sunlight and fresh air.
Whether you actually spent the '70s in a catatonic state or just identify imaginatively with those who did -- or your father tells you repeatedly about those days when you visit him in the Home -- Heavy Psych does exactly what it says on the tin.
Standout Tracks: "The Dagger," "Lead Sky," "The Other Side" WILSON NEATE
