Static Nebulus - Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons

Static Nebulus

Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ryan Powers

Static Nebulus is the combined talents of Zack Coburn, Nick Learned, Jeff (Jeffro) Stoller and Jeremy Keith. The band released their debut album entitled Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons in late 2014. Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons is an album that really doesn’t need a whole lot of explanation. The songs they play revolve around raw blues rock and throughout the duration of the album they don’t deviate from it. It reminds of the bands I would listen to at my college bar. I remember all too well trying to order a beer and having to shout about four times to  the bartender before she could hear me.  

Static Nebulus is pretty far from reinventing the wheel but if you yearn for more dirty blues-rock I believe this band will satisfy your craving. As I listened to the album I couldn’t help but think that this type of music is best consumed live and loud. Let’s be honest. This isn’t an Aphex Twin album where you will discover something new upon every listen.

So here’s my suggestion if you can’t find time to see these guys live. Your journey will begin by making sure the refrigerator is filled with some tasty brew and whiskey. Next step is to invite a couple of friends over. Crack a cold one and then put this album on at about half way up on your stereo while tilting one back and complaining about your boss. As the album is coming to a close for the first time do a shot of whiskey. At this point you should have a decent buzz going. Here is the last and most crucial step. Start the album over again but this time turn up the volume to about nine or maybe ten depending on what kind of speakers you are packing. 

The bigger point I’m making here is that Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons is an immediate, visceral album that doesn’t require much thought to enjoy. You don’t need to figure out what point the lyrics are trying to make - no poetic acrobatics here. It hits you fast and hard and sometimes that’s all you need. Getting lost in the fuzz of screaming lead that momentarily suppresses your money issues, your girlfriend issues or your god forsaken life issues.

Are there highlights? Maybe, not really though. Upon my fifth listen the songs more or less still bled into each other. That being said all the songs are all pretty solid in my book. They revolve little more than power chords but I have to admit some of those leads were pretty gnarly.

It’s fairly uncommon to hear people comparing punk rock and blues rock but I'll be damned if the underlying necessity to produce raw unfiltered noise that is supposed to be felt at your very core doesn’t exist in both.

Want some? Then take a listen to Sunflowers, Sparrows and Skeletons.

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