ALBUM REVIEW: Until The Sun Explodes – Sublime
Sometimes the most influential bands are the ones who came, saw and conquered in such a short time. Months, years, but never longer than a decade; this was the case for California ska act SUBLIME. From their conception in the late 1980s to their initial retirement in 1996 due to frontman Bradley Nowell’s untimely passing, they managed to bring the Long Beach sounds to the masses and putting their small town on the musical map. Now, revived with Nowell’s son Jakob, the once again three-piece are bringing their first full-length record since their posthumous self-titled release 30 years ago. It’s all summer heat and California love with Until The Sun Explodes.
Opening with the sensational single Ensenada, it’s an instant throwback to where the group left off three decades ago. The lighthearted melody, the groovy vocals, and the only giveaway of its more recent production is the rejuvenated energy behind the track. It feels clean, shiny, brand spanking new, while remaining faithful to the band’s original run of releases.
The three-part products of Maybe Partying Will Help… are probably the most creative tracks on the record. Putting spoken-word clips of the band over a trademark SUBLIME upbeat ska-reggae instrumental, it’s bringing a piece of the group’s history to the forefront on what can be considered a momentous milestone for themselves and their fans. The inclusion of this remixed trio does not only show respect in being a tribute to the late Nowell, but also bridges that time jump between their rise to fame and their return in the most tasteful and fitting way. It’s catchy, it’s memorable, and as ska as a standalone genre originated, it’s experimental.
The key to Until The Sun Explodes is that the tracks are short but still full of lyrical richness. From detailing drug-induced antics in Favorite Song to the one-minute spoken-word epic that is The Problem With That Is It Makes Me Stoked…, there will be something for everyone contained within the record. Comprising of an astounding 22 tracks altogether, this has come from the result of two simultaneous aspects of the creative process. One is the natural flow of ideas, concepts, thoughts and phrases, the other is the inability to stop while the ball is rolling. It’s been years, decades, even, and there will be many thoughts pent up. It’s only natural that an outfit who rock so soft yet party so hard will be letting loose and going with the flow.
Until The Sun Explodes is as much a challenge coming to completion as it is another rock album: the challenge to bring back the beach vibes, the words of sex and drugs, and the syncopated symphonies that birthed the institution of SUBLIME in the first place. With Jakob Nowell stepping up to the role his father left and keeping his heart and soul alive through the medium he found fit, it’s like bringing out the sunshine after 30 years of cold dark skies. SUBLIME shall live on – until the sun explodes and beyond.
Rating: 9/10
Until The Sun Explodes is out now via Atlantic Records.
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