Customer Reviews

Apollo

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

4.5 STARS...I wanted to write a review for all those NEBULA FANS OUT THERE WHO HAVE BEEN DOWN SINCE DAY ONE. This is one of Nebula's best releases in quite some time in my opinion. Their last CD, "Atomic Ritual," seemed to delve quite a bit in the Stoner Rock sound. This isn't new for Nebula; usually, though, Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano mix it up between this sound and others, most noteably their hard-core California post-punk sound that so many other groups have tried to copy.

With the release of "Apollo," the band has gone back to their roots, so to speak. The stoner rock sound is there, but it is married to all the other sounds that made them the band they are. Much like the approach they took when compiling "To the Center," each song has a different sound and theme to it. Don't get me wrong--I loved "Atomic Ritual." It was a one of a kind release. This new one takes the production sound of Ritual and mixes it with the song writing of the previous 3 CD's. Bringing in another artist to play the bass full time, Eddie is now afforded the luxury of concentrating on the guitar riffs and the late-70's induced lyrics he puts together. This CD has it all--the stoner rock, the hard-core, yet it comes together in a very polished, yet under-produced way. Gone is the 'wall of guitars' sound they delved in back in the mid-90's. Just like their sister band Fu Manchu, they have moved away from the grunge/sludge sound of tuned-down guitars, 14 guitar tracks and massive electrosonic power chords. It seems both bands have gone more toward Foghat- or ZZTop-esque, classic rock riffs with a clean sound.

If you were a fan of "To the Center" Ritual and "Charged" you will be happy with this new release. Watch out, though--there's no heavy metal guitar sound, and there's even a song on this CD that will remind you of Santana...they touch on all the 70's rock influences they could think of when putting these songs together! In my opinion, Center is my favorite Nebula CD, because it was my first, and it is also their most versatile, but I find myself putting this one and Ritual on random-play all the time.

My first introduction to Nebula and I find it to be pretty straight up 90's style underground rock; great songwriting and playing, a very fun listen.

This is the latest Nebula album. It has more of an older Nebula feel to it, in that their songs sound like their early stuff. Atomic Ritual I think showed a great amount of growth and don't get me wrong there are some killer numbers on this album, but it seems thaT the band wanted to get back to thier roots on this one. THIS IS NOT A MONSTER MAGNET RIP OFF. NEBULA HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE SOUND AND THE LAST REVIEWER OBVIOUSLY ISN'T THAT DEEP INTO THIS MUSIC(stoner rock) IF HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT! If you are a fan of Nebula you will enjoy this album.

Nebula offers "Apollo" a pshycodelic trip trhu different states of mind with the bases of acid rock, 70s groove, and Pink Floydesque concepts.
This California trio have explored the stoner rock world since the
Fu-Manchu era, fresh vocals, interesting strings sounds and traditional drums. Nebula needs to explore a little more in the field, but so far the albums released have been awesome.

HM

One of the few bands that is carry the stoner torch is Nebula. Their last effort, Atomic Ritual was a solid but albeit derivative effort that relied too much on stoner rock conventions. However, it has improved with time, meaning that the record does not sound out of date a couple of years after its release.

Apollo is a bit more polished and solid. The whole album can be played through with ever having to skip a track. The band seemed to have more fun with this one then their other records. This is evident since the songs do not sound forced or anything. As a result, this records is the kind you can just have a beer to.

If you like stoner rock or just chill out music, pick up apollo. It's nothing too serious, but its of serious quality so it comes highly recommended. Put it on when you have a small gathering of people. They will love for it.

I'll make this short and to the point because, frankly, my stomach hurts from overdosing on Pepto Bismol to clear out the large amount of bowell back-up this album has left inside of my inflamed colon.

Aside from "Decadent Garden", which stems HEAVILY from Ten Years After's waltzy jazz-rock qualities, the rest of "Apollo"'s material is a 101 art lesson in good conception/bad execution. Nebula has out-done themselves in a victimizing way seeing that Eddie Glass and Co's ideas (which include cliche overdubbed soundclips) on this album are recycled tricks from less-than-average albums by forerunning bands and lack any creative integrity. Gone on this album are any thunderous classic stoner riffs that make this band one of the best retro-sounding outfits for 70's hard rock to be heard. What's troubling is that the passion to make a good record was evident although "Apollo" winds up being a highly dissapointing follow-up to their 2003 2nd career peak "Atomic Ritual" album and results in Nebula's most Un-Nebula release to date. Now if you will excuse me, I felt something move in my lower abdomen. At least the cd booklet can make suffice TP.

I was pretty excited to hear this album but then after listening to it I came to the conclusion that it is a poorly done Monster Magnet ripoff. The music is boring, the lyrics are lame, and the singer cannot sing. They seem to want to fit into that "Look how spaced out and cool we are" category and it just comes across as being forced. Don't get me wrong, I love some of Nebula's older stuff, but this is just lame.