ALBUM REVIEW: Livewired In Europe – Nebula

Californian heavy psych legends NEBULA need no introduction. Veterans of the desert scene Eddie Glass (guitar & vocals) and his bandmate Ranch Sironi (bass) broke away from the legendary desert rock outfit FU MANCHU in 1997, recruited Mike Amster (drums) and have been supplying the world with guitar-driven, JIMI HENDRIX-esque heavy psych ever since. With a colourful and vibrant back catalogue, the band have become icons in the heavy psych and desert rock scenes. 

NEBULA’s latest offering is Livewired In Europe, a collection of tracks recorded in Sweden and the Netherlands during the spring of 2023. At the time of writing, the band are set to head out on their second European tour within the space of a year; Livewired In Europe gives fans a taste of what to expect, a bountiful supply of raw fuzz and explosive riffing. With a collection of tracks from across their illustrious and psychedelic discography, NEBULA took the citizens of Sweden and the Netherlands on a spiritual and cosmic journey to the furthest reaches of outer space. 

The band made their triumphant return with their 2022 album Transmission From Mothership Earth, a 40-minute romp through the cosmos in a jet fuelled VW Camper Van on mind-altering substances whose fumes clung to the fabric of the seats. Compared to their contemporaries, NEBULA have always had a grungy element to their sound, one that is reminiscent of Seattle-based bands like MUDHONEY. This influence has permeated many of their albums, augmenting their thick, hazy and super baked brand of desert rock, which leads to an abundance of octave fuzz riffs alongside beefy, distorted bass grooves and pummelling drums with cymbals that crash through the thick guitar and bass noise. 

Transitioning that from the studio to the stage is effortless for NEBULA, as from the very outset of Livewired In Europe they come out all guns blazing with Man’s Best Friend from 2019’s Holy Shit. Firing up the amps until they are burning red hot, audibly fizzing and crackling throughout the album alongside continuous bombardments from Amster’s drums, Livewired In Europe is the essence of NEBULA’s sound in its rawest and most fuzzed-out form. 

Throughout the album there is a tangible energy that sets your synapses ablaze as Glass rips through solos with ease, scorching the fretboard with his lightning fast fingers as he goes. Moving through long, psychedelic HENDRIX style jams to pinpoint stoner rock riffing and just about managing to stop at every point on the desert rock and heavy psych spectrum, NEBULA’s sound was designed for the live environment. As these songs break the shackles of the studio albums from which they belong, you get to hear them in a new light, more expansive and intense. 

You also get the chance to sit back and be amazed at the band’s musicianship. Their performances throughout the album are tight and cohesive, each member is locked into their own zone and the on stage chemistry is tangible. It has to be stated that that comes from experience, and with nearly 27 years of it, NEBULA know how to put on a show. 

Opening up with the aforementioned Man’s Best Friend, the album gets off to a raucous start, with Glass’ amp audibly catching fire from the ferocity of the riffs, much to the enjoyment of the audience. They venture to their first album, 1998’s Let It Burn, with a rowdy rendition of Down The Mother Fucking Highway, its bombastic riffs delighting the crowds with a very old school NEBULA classic. This is followed by Out Of Your Head, a trippy reminder of how getting stuck in your head can be dangerous. Its swaggering riff injects the album with a grungy attitude and helps the momentum gather for Highwired. This version crackles through your headphones, Glass’ amp once again burning so hot that you can feel the heat coming off it as he blisters through an octave riff with Sironi’s bass adding some extra oomph in the low end. 

Giant follows a similar formula, with a high-energy, bouncing riff that leads into Full Throttle, which opens the second half of the album with a frantic foray into punkier vibes. Aphrodite shows NEBULA channelling that JIMI HENDRIX influence once again with a slowed down and spacey track packed with bluesy moments. Followed by Messiah and Let It Burn, this finishes a trio of psychedelic trips into the cosmos before it ramps up again with Transmission From Mothership Earth and Let’s Get Lost. Closing the album is the abrasive Warzone Speedwolf, a frantic, dynamic and groove-laden track that finishes off the album with a fiery flurry of stoner rock riffs. 

Capturing their iconic sound in a live environment is always going to be a special moment; NEBULA once again light up the stage and give you a live experience unlike anything in the stoner scene. 

Rating: 8/10

Livewired In Europe is set for release on October 27th via Heavy Psych Sounds. 

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