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By Kayceman
To say Sublime created a genre would be overstating their influence. There were others before them who stirred up a punk-dub-reggae-ska melting pot. But, to not recognize the Long Beach trio's massive affect on music and a certain sect of youth would be naive. Sublime may not have invented their sound in a vacuum, but they took it to new heights and to more people than ever before.
Brad Nowell's songs and manner of delivery came to define a time, a place, a rebellious struggle for meaning and a way to blow off steam amidst drugs, self indulgence and a draining post-Reagan mentality. The time was the early-to-mid-90s, and the place was Southern California, though their sound eventually spread across the country and around the globe. For years - and many would argue it continues today - you couldn't walk on the beach in California without hearing Sublime. The music was beach culture - lots of beer, heavy drugs, a little surfing, a bit of skating, tattoos, and girls in bikinis all playing in a loud, lewd and sloppy manner. That's what Sublime is, and that's what you'll find on the three CD, one DVD set Everything Under The Sun.
None of the 80 tracks selected for this box set can be found on Sublime's studio releases. These are demos, rough tracks, live cuts, radio takes, interviews, alternate mixes and even a few remixes by folks like Snoop Dogg and DJ Spooky. It's called Everything Under The Sun for a reason! This may not be ideal for the casual Sublime fan. There's too much slop for folks who don't already bow to these beach heroes. However, for fans that have worn out all the shit that's already available these diamonds in the rough can be mined for years.
Music is not tangible. There is an "X Factor" that's often impossible to determine, especially what elements elevate a band or a sound to the proverbial next level. Brad Nowell is that factor. Listening to him freestyle on "Youth Are Getting Restless" or getting heavy on "Right Back," "Jailhouse," "Date Rape" or any number of beautifully broken selections here, it's clear Nowell took Sublime from their drugged-out beach bum origins to one of the most important musical voices of their day. Anyone who ever walked along the sand with their head down, heart hurting, wondering what to do, should pick up Everything Under The Sun for comfort.
JamBase | San Francisco
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