As I listen to the new SUBLIME WITH ROME album, “Yours Truly”, I’m excited to finally hear new original content from SUBLIME (with a new singer), and I’m (somewhat surprisingly) not sad thinking about the loss of Bradley Nowell. I don’t feel sorrow, I just feel joy remembering what Bradley started and I’m looking forward to the additional chapters of what Rome is now continuing. Nowell, the lead singer, guitarist & founding member of SUBLIME passed away on May 25, 1996, right before SUBLIME burst onto the National stage. This left fans singing songs they could never see live. Now we can!
As a huge SUBLIME fan, I’ve had ample time to grieve the loss of a music hero of mine, so I’m celebrating the promising future of SUBLIME WITH ROME, while looking back on some classic music that Bradley provided so many years ago. I’m also reflecting on the past 15 years, and realize that SUBLIME has always been walking along side of my personal musical journey. Millions of fans worldwide would tend to agree. I listen to “Yours Truly” and in a way, it feels like SUBLIME never left. I know there were many years in between releases, but this album links to the other albums in a cohesive manner. I guess it helps having 66% of the original members! SUBLIME was arguably the biggest rock band of 1997, but almost none of their new fans ever had a chance to see them perform live. Now that Rome has joined the band, we all get to see the live show, and finally hear the new SUBLIME songs that we’ve been waiting for since the end of Bill Clinton’s first administration!
If there are fans who wish to compare Rome Ramirez to Bradley Nowell, I encourage them not to. If you must compare Rome to Bradley, please keep it positive. Let me explain. If you want to say that SUBLIME WITH ROME is the best SUBLIME cover band on planet Earth, then I can understand your point of view and even agree with that. If you want to appreciate and be thankful that we can finally attend a live concert and sing their songs, then I’ll agree with that too. There are some ignorant and foolish comments floating around (God bless the internet), and I wish to address some of it. I’ve read a handful of postings in message boards under youtube videos, and seen many encouraging and appreciative comments, along with a couple ridiculous & negative comments badmouthing Rome. I want to defend & thank him,… profusely!
First off the guy is talented. I’ve scoured recordings from the past 2 years prior to the release of this album, and if somebody has the chops to carry Bradley’s torch forward, it’s Rome. Rome is a good guitar player & a talented and soulful singer, so what more could any true SUBLIME fan hope for out of a new singer. Rome is not replacing Bradley, because nothing can replace Bradley. Let me repeat: NOTHING WILL REPLACE BRADLEY. Rome is working hard to do what Bradley cannot do since he’s no longer with us. If given the choice between learning to appreciate a new SUBLIME singer, and only having the same original albums from the 90’s, I’m thrilled to rock out to some long overdue & catchy new songs.
I can’t speak for Bradley, but I will say that if I were in a successful band and passed away, I would be thrilled to have a talented musician join my band mates and continue what I had started. I would want that for my fans. I would want that for my band members. I would want that for my legacy. I would want that for a whole new generation who might not be exposed to my music otherwise. Perhaps Bradley might feel the same. I was in several bands in high school & college and sometimes we changed lead singers 3 or more times & still kept the band name. It was more important to me that my musical vision continued despite lineup changes, arguments, and setbacks.
Some of our fans said that we should have changed the name when the lineup changed. I disagreed. If I wasn’t done making music, then the name stayed. Some SUBLIME fans don’t want to see this band touring while connected to the name, (They picked the name SUBLIME WITH ROME for legal reasons). Founding members Bud Gaugh (drums) and Eric Wilson (bass) weren’t done making music when Bradley passed away, but it obviously threw a wrench into the spokes of their life. SUBLIME WITH ROME’S new release “Yours Truly” is truly a blessing for every fan of SUBLIME who never got to enjoy a live show before Bradley left us a decade & a half ago. Finally, we can jam to some new SUBLIME and catch a live concert that will continue the journey that Bradley Nowell started so many years ago.
On a related note, one of the first cover songs my high school band learned in 1996 was “What I Got”. One of our most popular cover songs in college was, “Santeria”. I’m a drummer first and foremost, but I always ended up singing. It was always easier for my bands to find fantastic drummers to take my place than it was to find a great singer. I always felt it was more important to just get on stage and perform even if we didn’t have a perfect lineup. In a way, I suppose SUBLIME WITH ROME is in a similar situation since their great original singer Bradley Nowell isn’t available, but choose to get back on stage anyway. Luckily for all of us, Rome has the talent to make a smooth transition between lead singers. SUBLIME was always one of the few bands that I could sing well because Bradley was in my range, and I suppose that was one of the reasons why I’ve shared a special kinship with SUBLIME.
Without going too much further discussing my musical exploits, I tell you all of this to explain that I was rocking a homemade SUBLIME t-shirt created with a decal obtained from Hot Topic shortly after I first heard “Date Rape” on late night Cleveland radio in high school. The SUBLIME bug bit me before most of my friends even heard the 1996 self titled debut featuring the hit singles, “What I Got”, “Santeria”, “Wrong Way”, & “Doin Time”. I’ve been much more than a casual fan of SUBLIME for a very long time. This new release is important to me as a fan. New music from SUBLIME WITH ROME feels right.
Since “Date Rape” cracked me up, and made me an instant fan so many years ago, I’ve listened to their music, performed their music, and appreciated the musical talents of SUBLIME. Now I finally get to see them live when they tour with 311 this Summer.
Nothing is going to replace Bradley Nowell. If we can all agree upon that point, then you should also agree that Rome deserves a standing ovation. Bradley never got to experience the rewards of success, and thus never had to carry the enormous weight and pressure that comes with stardom. Rome has to do just that, while knowing that he will forever walk in the talented shadow cast by the original SUBLIME founder & catalyst, Bradley Nowell.
Anyone willing to walk in those enormous shoes deserves our respect, and appreciation. Imagine the burden of trying to meet the expectations of millions of rabid SUBLIME fans, some of whom were not even born during Bradley’s lifetime! I commend the band for adding a new singer/guitarist. After watching youtube clips of Rome from the past 2 years, it seems like he continues to polish his craft, and gets better with each live performance. After a few years of live shows, and acoustic performances, now we finally have a brand new CD with original music that doesn’t disappoint.
SUBLIME WITH ROME’S “Yours Truly” was produced by the Butthole Surfers’ Paul Leary who also produced the last SUBLIME album in 1996. The first & fourth tracks; “Panic” & “Murdera” are my early favorites off the album. They’re both tunes that could have easily appeared on a previous SUBLIME album. They both seem like natural follow up songs from the last cd. They both have the energy, funk, drive, and intensity that made me a fan in the first place. They’re both fantastic songs.
After listening to the album a couple of times, the second track; “Only” was the song that stuck in my head all day yesterday. After a few listens, the rest of the tracks are starting to grow on me as well.
“Paper Cuts” sounds like a blend between some dirty pop punk from early SUBLIME mixed with something off of NIRVANA’s “Bleach” album. “PCH” is an upbeat Summer pop song I could imagine Jack Johnson blaring from his convertible while driving around Hermosa Beach.
“Lovers Rock” is a singable reggae jam, featuring outer space digital drum samples that’s both catchy and campy in the classic way that only authentic reggae can produce.
“Can You Feel It” is a stoner smoke song featuring Wiz Khalifa that already has me envisioning what it will be like if/when they perform this song live and under the sun with thousands of fans.
“My World” is a driving rock anthem where Rome sings; “My head’s up in the clouds, and I like it that way, and there’s no coming down, The world is my new toy, I’ve got so much pressure on my damn shoulders, I swear to God is weighing down on my world”.
I can’t help but think that this whole experience has got Rome living in the clouds, while appreciating the high expectations of SUBLIME fans world wide. It has to be both awesome, and strenuous to try so hard to meet such high expectations every night on tour. SUBLIME WITH ROME has started off on the right foot, and I’m thankful that the guys came together to continue the legacy that was started so many years ago. If there’s anyone who can handle the immense expectations, it seems as though Eric, Bud & Rome are up to the challenge. I’m truly blessed to enjoy new chapters to the book known as SUBLIME.
Review by Brian Engelman (Los Angeles, CA)
