Charged

When I hear the music of Nebula, I think of muscle cars and ‘70s-era longhaired dudes smoking pot in high school parking lots. This group is loitering at the end of a long line of heavy-psych rock bands fueled by distorted blues changes. Like their forefathers Blue Cheer, Zep, The Stooges, MC5, and label mates Mudhoney, this trio relies on the classic formula for teen angst: “Screw it, let’s rock.” Heavy and true to their roots, Ruben Roman (drums), Eddie Glass (guitar/vocals) and Mark Abshire (bass) lay down the flanged-out fuzz rock pretty thick here. People looking for the latest throwback to the ‘70s stoner rock sound (à la At the Drive In)—with a shot of speed—might like this group, because they’ve got the spirit down. Recorded by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Screaming Trees), Charged is filled with reckless abandon and "train kept a-rollin'" grooves (plus a few cheesy acoustic numbers perfect for Daisy Duke/Trans Am types). As the press kit says, the band’s motto is simple: "Electricity is the key. Guitars are the weapon. The message is do it now." Nothing new here, but these guys are meant to rock live; this album sounds like aged FM thunder at times.