Sublime

Sublime: 40 oz. to Freedom40 oz. to Freedom (1992)
Universal Music Group

Reviewer Rating: 4

User Rating:

Contributed by: fatheadMark Williams
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on June 14th 2001Say what you will about Sublime, there is no denying their ability to put out great music. This was their first album and appealed to many different people, punk or not. The album is a rollercoaster ride. Some songs are so chilled out that even you're mom would like them (Waiting for my Ruca, K.

Say what you will about Sublime, there is no denying their ability to put out great music. This was their first album and appealed to many different people, punk or not.

The album is a rollercoaster ride. Some songs are so chilled out that even you're mom would like them (Waiting for my Ruca, KRS-One), some are the faster ska with killer lyrics (Date Rape, Ebin, What Happened), while still most of them are the Sublime reggae grooves that Bob Marley himself would enjoy (Badfish,Let's Go Get Stoned).

The lyrics convey what Sublime was all about. Parties, drugs, and music. Some of you may think a song should be deeper than that, but it was the life they lived, and many of us can completely relate. Bradley Nowell's voice is truley great, possessing the ability to softly sing, belt out powerful tones, or let loose and scream. All the baselines are funky and infectous, and the drum beats complete the groove with great rythm and perfect fills and cymbol use. Sublime has always been more than just the three main members, with lots of songs featuring turntables, extra percussion, horns, and even guest vocals.

Sublime deserved all the popularity they recieved. No one has ever made ska/reggae this catchy and appealing before, and probably never will again. This cd can make you feel like moshing, skankin', or relaxin' all at the same time. It is truley a shame that heroin would eventually win the battle over Bradley, but it was bound to happen. Long Beach Dub All-Stars continue to bring the Sublime-style ska to the world, but without Bradley, there is an obvious void. There isn't a song I skip on 40 oz. to Freedom. My choice album by one of my favorite bands.

Can you think of another band that had the balls to cover Bad Religion, Decendents, and Grateful Dead on the same album!

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Mrcips (July 13, 2012)

This album is like a dope mix tape

nedsammy (September 12, 2010)

i don't smoke weed. i'm not a frat boy. i'm not retarded!

But holy fuck, I love this album. one of my all time favourites.

bdub (August 17, 2009)

"Can you think of another band that had the balls to cover Bad Religion, Decendents, and Grateful Dead on the same album!"

Don't forget the "5446 (thats my number)" Toots and the Maytals cover.

This is a great album, one of the few I can listen to straight through and enjoy every song.

DaltonDunn (May 20, 2009)

This album is one of the most important artistic statements in the last 30 years.
When I first got the album in 2008 it was merely to give the band a chance, at the time I felt Sublime was an overrated band having only heard a couple of their radio hits.
When I listened to this album from start to finish I found out that Sublime is by no means overrated.
Sublime threw influences of all kinds in the blender, really ALL KINDS, you can hear Bob Marley, Black Flag, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, UB40, The Specials, and Public Enemy(to name a few), but they take the sounds of their influences and make them all the more pleasing to the ear.
This album can be a real eye-opener to listeners partial to one genre. When I heard it the first time, I was stuck on rock music, but over the course of about six months I embraced reggae, dub, ska, and hip-hop.

guitarer1c2 (November 3, 2006)

This is one of those rare, nearly perfect albums.

Anonymous (June 14, 2006)

great album, completely changed my life.

Anonymous (January 4, 2006)

i think that is a really great band and the asshole who gave it a halfstar must like it little if he's retarded enough to put a comment

Anonymous (September 13, 2005)

Sublime is AWESOME! I am only 15 years old and I love this CD it's better then all this new shit thats coming out ugh Ashely Simpson Britany Spears got nothing on Sublime!

Anonymous (August 18, 2005)

This album rocks! haha i think its real funny that theres only one person in here that says it sux! :)
"54-47 was my # was my # now.... "

Anonymous (April 28, 2005)

This album is a classic. In 20 years or so people will praise sublime as a great band ahead of their time just as we do with many of the classics from the 70's. Anyone who doesn't like this album is lying.

Anonymous (June 14, 2004)

Amazing album. Brad's voice gives me chills when he belts out his passionate reggae style, or thrashing punk hardcore. We'll never see a band quite like this one again. SoCal lifestyle, attitude, and music seep out of your speakers and you can almost smell the pot smoke and stale beer in this fearless album. Musical influences from punk to hip hop to rhythms straight from the shores of Jamaica come together in a melting pot that is sublime and 40oz to Freedom. My favorite album of all time. -andy

Anonymous (May 25, 2004)

i just wanna ask you guys this one qeustion is it wrong to be a pothead? is it wrong to love this band? am i wrong to think 80s hardcore and reggae are the greatest genres of music of all time cause if it is i dont wanna be right oh and also when the fuck is the new social d record comin out goddammit!

Anonymous (December 30, 2003)

My personal favorite album of all time. This cd is more ecletic than most people's entire record collections.

Anonymous (July 6, 2003)

Great review. Sublime was by far one of the best bands of the 90's. I feel lucky to have picked up this record, because after listening to it I felt like my life change not only did I begin to appreciate music, but because of Sublime I began to listen to punk. Yes, Sublime was punk. Thanks Brad, RIP

Anonymous (June 4, 2003)

This album was one of their best. Also to that FUCKING IDIOT who called me retarded, go fuck yourself while listening to your pussy bands like blink! DUMBASS!!

M4CH1N3 (December 3, 2002)

Great album from an incredibly talented band.

Word (August 24, 2002)

no but fuck you, whoever you are

Anonymous (August 24, 2002)

did i ever say my name was tyler, pat?

Word (August 24, 2002)

This is the greatest CD ever. Tyler, perhaps some of us people here like getting shit in our ears. If this record is what it feels like to get shit on, then i need to get shit on more often.

Word

Anonymous (August 24, 2002)

when i listen to this cd, it feels like someone is taking a fat shit right in my ears and squishing it around with Vibrator. If you support this band, or even own any of these cds, you are either A) retarted B) Retarted or C) your name is Pat Danner and you suck fat cock,

thank you for your time

Anonymous (July 3, 2002)

not liking this album is like supporting the taliban. you should be shot.

Anonymous (May 21, 2002)

best album ever

Anonymous (April 22, 2002)

if you don't have the original with rawhide and the original version of get out, then you are a major label poseur.

krowdsurf (February 18, 2002)

This is without a doubt, my favorite album of all time. It completely changed my taste in music and sent me down the path of ska-punk, traditional ska, and reggae. Some people see this type of music as a fad that blew up in the mainstream and then died, rightfully. Well for me, this album introduced me to a genre of music I didn't even know existed and that I still love to this day. I'm glad this album got a good review here. I see a lot of bands being torn apart because of their ska influence but it's good to see that people appreciate how great and how groundbreaking this album was when it came out......krowdsurf

Anonymous (December 12, 2001)

I agree with fathead-my mom seriously loves the whole album, fuckin pothead! I also agree with eddie-assorted jellybeans and fathead suck! MY OPINION MATTERS!-pathead

OedipusWrecks (November 11, 2001)

That's because fathead's full of shit. And so are assorted jellybeans. Fuck assorted jellybeans. They're assholes. One of them threw a beer bottle at my sister when she was at a show in St. Louis, so fuck them. And you know what? Fuck fathead. Just because I can appreciate good music does not mean I'm on crack, so fuck him. And assorted jellybeans.

-Eddie W.

Anonymous (October 31, 2001)

although sublime is my favorite band of all time, i have been looking up a lot of my other favorite cd's, and they were all reviewed by fathead. some of them werent given as much credit as i thought they should have, but this one is just gorgeous.

Anonymous (October 3, 2001)

Amen! kick ass review!

punk is about bringing down barrier and not caring what prejudice people think.

Anonymous (September 28, 2001)

I must say I was quite surprised when I was looking over the reviews section and came across Sublime. Sublime is one of my favorite bands, and i love punk rock, but I never once thought I'd see the band reviewed on this site. I know this cd is pretty punk influenced, but i never connected them to being a punk band, but I guess i'm wrong. This is a great album with cool reggae, very catchy ska, and yes, great punk. 10 points.

sXe_nick (September 16, 2001)

i truly love this cd. it is basically what got me into punk/ska. I was prolly one of the biggest sublime fans, i love everything about them. Im really sad b/c my brother lost this treasure of a cd........ASSHOLE

Anonymous (June 20, 2001)

40oz is such a grate albim, brad did have a truely grate voice, and orl tho he is gone his music wil live on. i to woz stoked to find this albim being reviewed and favorably. ive seen many bad reviews for wot i see as a truely grate albim. ups to u lot for not only reeding it but givin big ups.

much luv red

Anonymous (June 17, 2001)

what do you expect from a "dub band"

Anonymous (June 17, 2001)

the mix of styles in this cd is amazing
and contains some of sublimes best work.
I feel there is a little too much dub that drags the record out a bit, but thats cool.

more sublime the better!

-faceecaf

Anonymous (June 16, 2001)

I was casually lookin at the site to see what news there was and was so pleasently surprised to see Sublime 40oz in the New Reviews Section. Its great to see such a great band still getting coverage. This is there best album out of the main 3 and Brads Voice is just one of those rare treasures. Great album, great Band.

JoKe2K (June 15, 2001)

I never had one bad thing to say about this website, but I have to say I definately have more respect for it after I have seen a review of a Sublime album...something most somewhat new punk zines wont review.
This album is a fucking classic. Thats all anybody has to say.

Anonymous (June 15, 2001)

great!!! best band in the who(r)le world.

Anonymous (June 15, 2001)

Sublime was one of my favorite bands back in its day, and it still holds a place in my heart. It was really sad when the leader singer died from a heroine overdose or whatever he was using. Ska is a great genre of music.

-Senor Potpourri

Anonymous (June 15, 2001)

i meant to give this a 9. my bad- fathead