This weekend is being deemed “Car-Ma-Geddon” in LA. Kinda like Armageddon, but even shittier than that movie. They are shutting down one of our main freeways and basically telling the rest of the city to eff off and find another route. Greaaaaaaaaaaatttttttt. They expect traffic to be backed up 50 miles north and south. If you go 45-50 miles south of LA you reach the fine city of Long Beach CA. Now just pretend your sitting in terrible traffic in Long Beach. What music comes to mind? You probably have heard of a little band from Long Beach called Sublime. “Santeria,” “What I Got,” Date Rape,” “Wrong Way,” just to name a couple are some of the tunes that have defined this section of the country and the reggae rock movement on So Cal not to mention propelled this band to uber success. I went to a concert one time and “Sublime” was playing over the PA before the Dave Matthew’s Band took the stage. The crowd sang the lyrics so loud when the band took the stage they were so astonished by what they were hearing they sang a long and let the last tune play out, unreal. The new in carnation of the band is called Sublime with Rome (The new lead singer) and today they have just released “Yours Truly”. Check it out, then we’ll discuss…
Panic – Sublime with Rome
It sounds similar. It sounds good. They look similar because the rythm section of Eric Wilson on bass and Bud Gaugh on drums is still in tact. The big difference is the lead singer Rome who replaces the deceased Bradley Nowell. He has an amazingly similar voice to Nowell.
Now before you start thinking I’m going in the direction you think I am I will have you know I’m not. I have to make the initial comparison, a little background. This is a new band playing the great style music that made them famous and people like me love them in the first place. Quite frankly im excited Sublime is back in any state making great So Cal roots rock. This tune should get you in the mood for some new Sublime music.
Only – Sublime with Rome
Enough of that serious stuff from before. This band since I have known about them and beyond has been all about fun upbeat music and nothing has changed at all. In “Yours Truly” we get to hear Sublime’s slightly different take on what the have been doing. There are your standard Sublime-y songs throughout the record. Great tunes like “My World,” “Murdera,” and “Only,” are definitely in the same vein as the good ole days. The best part about this record however is the new sounding stuff. Tunes like “PCH” and “Paper Cuts” have the lighter and slightly harder sounds respectively that we haven’t heard recently from Sublime.
PCH – Sublime With Rome
Paper Cuts – Sublime with Rome
I’m not entirely sure I can get behind that tune PCH. I think it has to much bubbles to it… To much Jason Mraz-y, Jack Johnson-y vibey “hey lets go to the beach”-ness to it. Did that make sense? Prolly not, but hey they can’t all be gems? Am I right? “Paper Cuts” however is a hard, fast and in your face awesome song. Any way as you can see this record has a lot of different flavors in it… even a little something for the Jason Mraz fan in you, I know it’s there.
Thats what the band sounds like playing one of my all time favorite Sublime songs. They sound awesome playing the old stuff and I’m sure the new stuff sounds equally great. For those who are nostalgic “Yours Truly” hits all the right notes and for those who love Jason Mraz this record hits one very brief note. Had to…
Sublime is touring with 311 (ummm… awesome?) and although they don’t have a home town show booked as of yet I think the So Cal area is always on their radar. You can buy their new record literally everywhere.
Here’s the last tune from Sublime with Rome’s “Yours Truly” and a bonus track feat. everyone’s favorite pot head Wiz Khalifa.
Spun – Sublime with Rome
Can You Feel It (Feat. Wiz Khalifa) – Sublime with Rome
By: Steve Rippin | Beat-Play Ambassador Los Angeles | @stevewithMWL|Music Without Labels & Beat-Play, LLC
The Beat-Play Experiment 