To the Center

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To the Center
Nebulatothecenter.jpg
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]

Contents

Production

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

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

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Antichrist Magazine78/100 [10]
Chicago Sun-Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [7]
Classic Rock 8/10 [11]
New Noise Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [12]

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." [13] 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'." [14]

The Province determined that "this power trio seems to have blotted up its churn and burn from ancient Frisco acid rock band, Blue Cheer." [15] 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." [16]

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." [17]

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

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 Williamson 4:18
8."So Low" 3:45
9."Synthetic Dream" 4:28
10."Fields of Psilocybin" 2:15
11."Between Time" Randy Holden 3:22
12."You Mean Nothing" 4:21
Total length:47:51

Personnel

Additional personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Nebula Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic .
  2. ↑ Kassulke, Natasha (October 7, 1999). "Spotlight: Nebula with Atomic Bitchwax and Core". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 20.
  3. 1 2 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'". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 15.
  7. 1 2 Williams, Kevin M. (November 14, 1999). "Spin Control". Showcase. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 15.
  8. ↑ Morris, Chris (November 13, 1999). "Flag Waving". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 46. p. 57.
  9. 1 2 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. ↑ Herron-Wheeler, Addison (January 25, 2018). "Nebula – Let It Burn, To the Center, Dos EPs". New Noise Magazine . Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  13. ↑ 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". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.1.
  14. ↑ "CD Reviews". OC Weekly. November 4, 1999.
  15. ↑ Derdeyn, Stuart (January 11, 2000). "Quick Spins". The Province. p. B5.
  16. ↑ Seigel, Stephen (October 28, 1999). "Soundbites". Tucson Weekly.
  17. ↑ Mariani, Anthony (November 4, 1999). "Happy Daze – Nebula conjures up memories of loud Les Pauls, long hair and weed". Music.
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