Sublime Album: “Sublime: Deluxe Edition [PA] [Digipak]”

Growing up in Southern California, Bradley Nowell had been exposed to many forms of music, such as rock, punk, rap, hip-hop, reggae, ska, and jazz. After graduating from high school, Bradley attended University of California, Santa Cruz. One semester short of a degree in business, Bradley dropped out to focus his energies on a music career. He soon met bass player Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh. In 1988, the three formed a garage band that combined all of Bradley's favorite musical genres. They named that band Sublime. Sublime soon cultivated a devoted following throughout Southern California, particularly on college campuses.

Bradley Nowell's tragic death at age 28, from a lethal dose of Mexican tar heroin, came only about a month before the release of the band's major label debut album, "Sublime."

In light of Bradley's death, MCA considered not releasing this album at all. They eventually decided that the best way to show respect for Bradley was to issue the album he had worked so hard to create. Upon release, "Sublime" quickly sold over three million copies, making it a bittersweet success. Bradley's own father said he wished the album had not been a hit, because it was painful to hear his deceased son's voice blaring from car stereos all over Long Beach.

My supervisor introduced me to this album back in 1997. He helped me understand that there is more to Sublime and Bradley Nowell than you might at first assume. For example, "The Wrong Way" is an anti-prostitution song. And where Bradley does occasionally come across as a boastful male chauvinist (e.g., "take a load from my big gun"), he is most likely satirizing male chauvinism, or at the least portraying a character and not himself. Because of the influence of my supervisor, "Sublime" gradually became one of my favorite albums, and Sublime gradually became one of my favorite bands. By year's end, my Sublime collection rivaled my supervisor's.

"Santeria" is my favorite song on this album. The melancholy tone of the song, and its Southwest sonic atmosphere, call to mind the wonderful conversations I'd had with my supervisor about the years he spent living in Taos, New Mexico. The American Southwest had always had spiritual significance for both of us. (My friend's wife, an artist, had only recently renovated their house in a Southwest motif.) "Santeria" also reminds me of my stepfather, who died in 2001. A Mexican American, my stepfather had once told me that in Mexican culture a man who steals another man's girlfriend or wife is sometimes referred to as "a Sancho." This may give deeper insight into what Bradley means when he sings, "If I should find that heina and that Sancho that she's found..."

I was surprised to read the other reviewers consider this album to be "frat boy music." I suppose that's appropriate in my case, because it was in the context of a brotherhood that I was first introduced to "Sublime." In my mind, this album now stands as a beautiful reminder of an era when I was a part of a fraternity of sorts.

I first posted this review a few weeks back. In the original version, I expressed sadness over the loss of Bradley. But after listening to "Look at All the Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime," I decided to edit this review and remove the references to being sad about Bradley's death. While it is true that it is sad that he died so young, I realized that during his life he lived more than most people ever will -- and in his recordings he is more vibrantly alive than most people I've ever met. (The tribute album, by the way, is great. It's interesting to hear how Sublime songs can be transferred into so many different genres, from punk, to ska, to dance pop, to R&B.)

The editorial review for this album makes me extremly angry. To say that Bradley Nowell has a bulked-up frat boy persona is an insult, not only to Sublime, but to Sublime fans as well. The reviewer bases this statment on the fact that Brad Nowell is tattooed. Sublime wasn't some band playing music to get drunk and laid. Sublime can't be limited to just "white suburban punks imitating jamaican ska music". This album is a pivitol album in the music world. Sublime didn't just do what every other band was doing throughout the 90s. They were their own band, not some reggae rip off. Sublime is not a reggae band, not a dub band, and Sublime is not a punk band. Sublime is a lifestyle. There is so much more to Sublime than just the music. These guys were livin' what they sang about, and not because they were singin' about it. They were livin' first! This album, as with every Sublime album, is a musical journey. A masterpiece from 'Garden Grove' to 'Doin Time'. I got this album the Summer of my freshman year, and my life has never been the same since, and that was eight years ago! Sublime doesn't encourage you to be a bulked-up frat boy type, or to even be like them. Sublime's innovative style, both musicaly and lyricaly encourage you to find yourself. Every song on this album is a masterpiece! No two songs sound the same, but they all carry that flavor that only Sublime could give a song. There is only one Sublime, as there was only one Beatles, one Stones, one Hendrix, ect. These songs will be with you for the rest of your life! Nevermind the editorial review saying that "...the band is great in short doses" I find myself lost in this music. I constantly wonder what Sublime would have become had Bradley Nowell lived longer. It only would have gotten better. Sublime were true musical geniuses.

Bradley Nowell

1968 to 1996

R.I.P.

I first heard Sublime at my friends house in '96, just before Brad died. He was visiting from New Zealand and bought a few casetes to listen to on his travels, two of them were sublime. So we listend and I loved it, the lyrics the rhythm, I can never ever get bored of it. So eventually(after he forced me to give them back to him..the day he left) I went out and bought every single sublime cd that there was. I found that they are all good. I love the way that Brad could, and still can make me feel happy. There is so much more to these SoCal artists than the tattoos and punk look that meets the eye, and I only hope that as many people as possible get to see that. R.I.P Bradley.

*also you should take a look at Long Beach Dub All Stars first album 'Right Back' LBDA is made up of the remaining two Sublime members and a couple other artists who played with Sublime, if you need something to do with your money, buy all the Sublime c.d's

can never NEVER. get enough of this music. This music at its finest. Sublime started its own genre and nobody can duplicate. Everytrack is meaningful and amazing. If you really listen, you find more than just bad ass beats, ryhmes and instrumentals and fearless vocals. You will find music that is from the heart and speaks to people like me. I wish Brad was still around.

This is definately, along with sublimes other cd's, one of the best cd's to come out of the nineties, if not for all time. Yeah it had more radio play than the other cds(with radio hits like what i got, wrong way, santeria, caress me down, and doin' time)but that doesnt at all make it a horrible or watered down album. Originally Brad & Co. were gonna call it Killin' it (they already had a skunk release with the same name and tracks) but after brad died it was decided that it wouldn't be appropriate, so they simply named it sublime. You can kinda compare sublime's career with nirvana's. The Nirvana equivilent of "Sublime" would be "Nevermind", the equivilent of "In Utero" would be "40 oz. to freedom", with "bleach" it would be "Robbin' the Hood" and same with "Incesticide" to "second-hand smoke" and "From the Muddy Banks of Wishkah" and "Stand by your Van Live". Their musical careers can also be compared. Both bands were 3-piece bands, they both wanted to do something different than from the mainstream, they were both genre-fusing, both the lead singers had a heavy drug addiction, both the lead singers died from an overdose or from being under the influence of drugs, and both of the band's remaining members have gone on to start some new bands, 2 of which have become quite popular (namely the foo fighters and The Long Beach Dub All-Stars". It's also unfortunate to know that both bands could have become more than they already have, mainly focusing on Sublime because Brad didnt live to see his band become big. And if he was still alive, ska could have become the second revolution of the nineties. Back in '95, '96 people were already getting tired of grunge and wanted something new. Basically, Sublime could have made ska what Nirvana did with grunge. thats another thing, sublime isnt really ska, it's a mixture of many types of music. I could go on forever but back to the point. After your purchase of this cd, go back and also buy "40 oz. to freedom" and "Robbin' the Hood", to understand the true meaning of Sublime. Only then you can truly understand the talent that Brad had when he and his buddies got together to play. Peace.