Album Review: Sublime – Until The Sun Explodes (Atlantic Records)

Sublime, the Long Beach, CA reggae-punk/alternative rock trio, are back with their highly anticipated new album ‘Until the Sun Explodes’. Out on June 12th, via Atlantic Records.

What a time we are living in. A time when, love or hate it, a new Sublime album exists. The funk/reggae rock/alternative punk trio are well and truly back and showing they are so much more than just a nostalgia act. Paying tribute to the past, especially when you remember the late Bradley Nowell’s son, Jakob, is now on vocals, but with modern elements to make it feel fresh.

More importantly though, it feels authentically Sublime. I think fans will enjoy a lot of what is on offer here. Even though I’m not convinced everyone else will be sold.

I sit in the latter camp, partially because I never paid any attention to Sublime when they were first around and partially because their style doesn’t do a lot for me. I can enjoy a bit of funk, a bit of reggae rock, plenty of punk and alternative rock, but my mileage varies, and when it’s all combined, it needs to be really special to hold my attention long term. Unfortunately, as much as I vibe with a lot of the record, it’s all over the place, sound wise, and not everything works.

Kicking off with the big hitter that is Ensenada, Sublime immediately lay down some serious reggae rock groove that is playful and catchy. It’s experimental, but the way Sublime relax into it makes it feel so natural.

This is a common thing throughout the album too. That, regardless of song style of song structure, Sublime make it feel like the easiest thing in world. Songs like Can’t Miss You, with its funky rhythm. Songs like Personal Hell, which is delightfully punky. Songs like Gangstalker, which leans into ska but switches in cool fashion when the chorus hits, and songs like the laidback Froggy deliver high points.

There are more, of course, but on each listen, I found these were the tracks that kept coming back up when I thought about what I really liked about the album.

Unfortunately, there’s stuff I don’t like too. One important negative is that the album is too long. Not in length, per se, but with tracks, as there are far too many that could be cut, and it wouldn’t really hurt the overall listening experience. In fact, in one or two cases, what I was hearing felt like a waste of time.

Note to bands – you don’t always need intermissions. Even if what Sublime do with their ones is to pay tribute to the past, which does add a bit of emotion to things, except the music is mostly nonsensical. Less is definitely more here. I guess some people will get a kick out of the finale that is Thanx Again.

That being said, I did spend a lot of time with this album and found myself constantly coming back to it. It’s an addictive listen, and easy listen, and an interesting listen. I think longtime Sublime fans will enjoy it more than most, but I do suspect there are going to be plenty of people discovering them for the first time and coming away fans.

Sublime – Until the Sun Explodes Track Listing:

1. Ensenada
2. Wizard
3. Can’t Miss You
4. Backwards (feat. FIDLAR)
5. Maybe Partying Will Help…Pt. 1
6. Favorite Song (feat. Skeggs)
7. Personal Hell
8. F.T.R.
9. Evil Men
10. Trey’s Song (feat. H.R.)
11. Casino Toarmina
12. The Problem with That Is It Makes Me Stoked…
13. Gangstalker
14. Figueroa
15. Froggy
16. Come Correct (feat. G-Love)
17. What For
18. 247-369 (feat. Fletcher Dragge)
19. Maybe Partying Will Help… Pt.2
20. Until The Sun Explodes
21. Thanx Again

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