Nudity

The problem with space rock today is that most self-proclaimed practitioners of the genre have forgotten the rock. Prozac replaces sugar cubes, producing an utterly non-confrontational, safe whoosh of shoe gazing doo dah (see Sleepyhead). Nudity, a relatively new quintet out of Olympia, Wash., featuring members of Olympia outfits Tight Bros From Way Back When and Dub Narcotic Soundsystem, has set out to rectify the situation with its latest pair of EPs (available by email at getnudity@lycos.com). Though song titles like “Moon Druids” and “Le Premier Voyage du Captaine” might conjure up visions of naked hippies with flutes, Nudity understands that getting to space requires sonic propulsion. Layers of heavily processed guitars, sitars and other accoutrements of psychedelic warfare ride one of the most inventive and driving rhythms sections around to spawn a sound that should make fans of Hawkwind and Amon Düül II lose enough weight to fit back into their spacesuits. Catch them in a galaxy near you.