Classic Day – Long Beach Legends

What can be said about Sublime that has not been said already? Sublime is the premiere Long Beach Californian band that stretched the limits of music, extending their tendrils into so many different genres while still being able to find success every single time. Whether it be ska, punk, reggae, rock, or the latter, Sublime would find a genre and make it their own.

40 Oz. To Freedom was the debut album for Sublime and it was Earth-shattering at the time of release but ultimately did not sell too well. The group of all white members that played reggae and punk music, that had a rapper for a front man and a care-free attitude about life. Bradley Nowell, Eric Wilson, and Bud Gaugh had some outstanding chemistry together and Sublime would eventually become a household name.

Sublime did a fantastic job of switching up their style on 40 Oz. To Freedom, from the rushed and frantic songs like “New Thrash” and “Hope,” and while Sublime had mostly original songs, they were known to cover some punk like “We’re Only Gonna Die” by Bad Religion, but also takes other influences like the cover of “Scarlet Begonias” and “54-46 That’s My Number.” Hearing a debut album that has six different covers sounds outlandish, but the massive 23-song track list bears so many rememberable and greatly written songs. While it did not originally sell very well, it eventually became the one of the highest independently selling albums of all time.

One of the main selling points of Sublime is just how interesting their sound is, I really have not heard many bands from this era that changed their instrumentation around so much from the organs and acoustic guitars, to the the deep drum kits and steel drums that became iconic with Sublime’s sound. That and of course all the songs about smoking weed or drug references like “Smoke Two Joints,” “Lets Go Get Stoned,” and the infamous “Badfish.”

40 Oz. To Freedom is one of the classic 90’s albums that have such an iconic sound and feel to them. Even when Sublime samples another track, they do so in a way that actually contributes to the feel of the new track. The quick-witted and sarcastic Bradley uses some amusing lines that bring a smile to my face every time I hear it. While the album is now well over 20-years old, 40 Oz. To Freedom continues to impress me with each listen. I love the instrumentation, the production, and of course I love the overall feel of the whole album.

The way 40 Oz. To Freedom flows from the pressed, running tracks, to the slowed down and more mellow tracks, Sublime went above and beyond on 40 Oz. To Freedom and really became the staple in Long Beach Californian music, but also as musicians around the world.