Nebula--Dos EPs
MeteorCity 2002
As important of a band as Nebula is, it's a travesty any of their recorded work ever fell out of print. Unfortunately, with the folding of the Man's Ruin label, that's exactly what happened with their Sun Creature EP. Thankfully, all has been rectified with the release of Dos EPs, which combines the Sun Creature tracks with Nebula's half of their also out of print split with Lowrider. The only delimma is what more can you say about such classic material that hasn't already been said--what new insight is there to gain? Thanks to three additional brand new tracks, the answer to both questions is "quite a lot."
Most people who like this style of music are already familiar with the Nebula sound--it centers on very catchy, groove driven tunes with a psychedelic edge. Listening to the older tracks from the Lowrider split, one is reminded of how interchangeable Nebula was with Fu Manchu early on--Nebula sounds like Fu Manchu with some space rock effects as a backdrop, on their earlier tracks. The tunes from the Sun Creature EP see them break away from that pattern and establish their individuality a little better. Having all of this material in the same place, to be able to hear Nebula's progression as a band, is one of the things that makes Dos EPs such a fun listen.
However, the real revelation about how far Nebula has come over the years lies in the three brand new tracks recorded specially for this collection. Any comparisons to Fu Manchu are out the window, at this stage. Now, Nebula's sound has evolved into something that's like a cross between AC/DC and early Mudhoney. The emphasis is definitely on the AC/DC end of things, though--this stuff is pure hard rock. This being said, their sound has managed to become more dynamic and less cluttered. They're able to handle the more straightforward blues style of "Long Day" just as effortlessly as they do the full-on rawk of "Rocket."
Nebula has always been a great band but Dos EPs shows how they've actually gotten better with each outing. It goes a long way in explaining why Nebula's music has endured over time while material from many others in this genre hasn't. If you don't already have the original EPs, this collection is an absolute must. If you do already have and love those original pressings, the three new tracks offered here make Dos EPs just as essential as it is for the uninitiated.
Score this CD directly from METEORCITY
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