To the Center

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To the Center
Studio album by
Nebula
ReleasedAugust 24, 1999 (1999-08-24)
RecordedApril 1999
StudioHanszek Audio, Seattle, Washington
Genre
Length47:51
Label
  • Sub Pop
  • Heavy Psych Sounds (2018 reissue)
Producer
Nebula chronology
Nebula/Lowrider
(1999) 		To the Center
(1999) 		Charged
(2001)

To the Center is the debut studio album by the American stoner rock band Nebula.[1][2] It was released on August 24, 1999, on Sub Pop.[3] The album was later reissued in 2018 by the band's current label, Heavy Psych Sounds Records.[4][5]

Production[edit]

Recorded in Seattle, the album was produced with Jack Endino.[6] Guitar player Eddie Glass employed a Gibson SG.[7]

Mark Arm sang on the band's cover of the Stooges' "I Need Somebody".[8]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Antichrist Magazine78/100[10]
Chicago Sun-Times[7]
Classic Rock8/10[11]
Myglobalmind9/10[12]
New Noise Magazine[13]

Exclaim! wrote that Glass "transformed himself into a veritable guitar god almost overnight in an era wherein the slightest six-string noodling is waved off the road, considered indulgent."[3] The Chicago Tribune thought that "acoustic guitars, sitar, [and] synthesizer give this Hendrix-like trio added texture."[14] OC Weekly decided that "the band also gets a little groovy, pulling out the aural incense to jam on the Fugazi-like 'Freedom' and synthesizer-laced, Jefferson Airplane-ish 'Synthetic Dream'."[15]

The Province determined that "this power trio seems to have blotted up its churn and burn from ancient Frisco acid rock band, Blue Cheer."[16] Tucson Weekly deemed To the Center "an album which undeniably pushes the band to the forefront of its genre, whether or not you've got a bong in front of you."[17]

Houston Press wrote: "On a song such as 'Come Down', Nebula actually does what few '90s bands have ever done, chemically enhanced or not: It achieves true heaviness. After the song's simple three-note syncopated intro doubles back on itself, Glass scratches his guitar pick down his strings before singing the hurried lyrics. And it's during those one and a half seconds, the time it takes for Glass's pick to travel a few inches, that Nebula is the heaviest band on earth. Not since Ritchie Blackmore's days with Deep Purple has the simple gesture of pick scratching been used so perfectly."[18]

AllMusic called the album a "retro-psychedelic heavy rock platter, long on stripped-down riff muscle and surprisingly technically adept guitar jams."[9]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Eddie Glass and Ruben Romano, except where noted. All music by Glass

Standard release
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."To the Center" 6:31
2."Come Down" 2:01
3."Whatcha Lookin' For" 2:37
4."Clearlight" 4:29
5."Freedom" 7:14
6."Antigone" 2:30
7."I Need Somebody"Iggy Pop, James Williamson4:18
8."So Low" 3:45
9."Synthetic Dream" 4:28
10."Fields of Psilocybin" 2:15
11."Between Time"Randy Holden3:22
12."You Mean Nothing" 4:21
Total length:47:51

Personnel[edit]

  • Eddie Glass – guitar, vocals, percussion, Fender Rhodes, bolbatar, drums
  • Ruben Romano – drums, vocals, percussion, sitar
  • Mark Abshire – bass, vocals, audio generator

Additional personnel

  • Mark Arm – vocals on "I Need Somebody"
  • Jon Wright – Fender Rhodes on "To the Center" and "So Low"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Nebula Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Kassulke, Natasha (October 7, 1999). "SPOTLIGHT: NEBULA WITH ATOMIC BITCHWAX AND CORE". Wisconsin State Journal. Rhythm. p. 20.
  3. ^ a b Genovese, Robin (October 1, 1999). "Nebula – To the Center". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  4. ^ "Nebula – To the Center". Heavy Psych Sounds. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  5. ^ Foster, Chuck (February 13, 2018). "Nebula – Let It Burn (Heavy Psych Sounds)". The Big Takeover. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  6. ^ Niesel, Jeff (October 28, 1999). "NEBULA ... rides out choppy surf to find its 'Center'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Entertainment. p. 15.
  7. ^ a b Williams, Kevin M. (November 14, 1999). "SPIN CONTROL". Chicago Sun-Times. SHOWCASE. p. 15.
  8. ^ Morris, Chris (November 13, 1999). "FLAG WAVING". Billboard. 111 (46): 57.
  9. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "To the Center – Nebula". AllMusic. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  10. ^ Castles, Paul (March 9, 2018). "Review: Nebula "To The Center" and "Let It Burn"". Antichrist Magazine. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  11. ^ Needs, Kris (February 2, 2018). "Nebula – Reissues album review". Classic Rock. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  12. ^ Pam and Mark Schaff (February 10, 2018). "Nebula – Let It Burn, To the Center, Dos EPs Review". Myglobalmind.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  13. ^ Herron-Wheeler, Addison (January 25, 2018). "Nebula – Let It Burn, To the Center, Dos EPs". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Kot, Greg (April 23, 2000). "RETURN OF THE STONER AGE BANDS LIKE MONSTER MAGNET AND NEBULA REKINDLE THE FIRE OF HARD ROCK, WITH LOTS OF SMOLDERING GUITARS". Chicago Tribune. Arts & Entertainment. p. 7.1.
  15. ^ "CD Reviews". OC Weekly. November 4, 1999.
  16. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (January 11, 2000). "Quick Spins". The Province. p. B5.
  17. ^ Seigel, Stephen (October 28, 1999). "Soundbites". Tucson Weekly.
  18. ^ Mariani, Anthony (November 4, 1999). "Happy Daze - Nebula conjures up memories of loud Les Pauls, long hair and weed". Music.
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