 "In my top 3" | 2008-09-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: ALHG85GZJXV0D |
This album changed my life.
I heard this album at the age of 14 (I'm 23 now), and I can honestly say it was the album that made me pick up a guitar and eventually become a professional musician.
Though my musical tastes have evolved, the beauty and soul of Bradley Nowell's voice, bumping bass lines of Eric Wilson, and rocksteady beats of Bud Gaugh get me every time. Live is the way to listen to Sublime. For superfans, I would suggest finding copies of "Contact Buzz" and "It All Seems So Silly in the Long Run" to experience the entire shows that this album cuts from.
I really hope Bradley Nowell died at his peak, because to think otherwise is sad for all of us. |
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| "I Was There...definitely worth a download" | 2007-09-25 |
| - Reviewed By dvoodoo |
| This album was mostly recorded live to 16 track tape at Komotion, a warehouse/performance space in San Francisco's Mission District in September 1994. The 1st three tracks were delivered as a "triple threat" medley and create an awesome introduction to an underground band laying down serious jams for a happy few dozen sweaty and drunken friends & fans, with all getting their $5 worth. The band would later go on to sell millions of records, but these tracks are true to the loose spirit and incredible live give and take they had with audiences on certain magic nights. |
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| "awesome Sublime live CD" | 2006-07-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: AFV6KAX40EMQT |
| this is a must have album for a Sublime fan... you can feel the vibe as if you were there in the concert. |
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| "Live = Better" | 2005-12-28 |
| - Reviewed By great_southern_trendkill |
I wish I had a van. Vans are pretty cool. I mean...there's just so much room. And sure, they can't drag real well, but you don't drag in a van. You got subs, and room for gals. And if you're really classy you can get a couple of couches back there and a TV, and you can roll in it.
If I had a van I'd probably be playing this album in it. I kid you not, Stand By Your Van has been in my '04 Taurus' CD player for the last 5 months. That's staying power music isn't supposed to have.
There's something magical about this album. I think it has something to do with the band in general. Sublime was a real band. They were underproduced until their final album, and a lot of the stuff they recorded came straight out of their living room. The problem with that is that their earlier stuff had pretty crappy production. It felt like the music was on plastic. And a lot of their later songs, although good, sounded a bit overproduced.
Stand By Your Van is a perfect blend of good production with that authentic sound you can only get live. Bradley Nowell is drunk, the crowd is singing, a lot of the songs have improved parts. I think this is Sublime at their best. Particularly, the first 8 songs on the album - the flow is amazing, and the live sound tops each and every studio recording.
I'm not the biggest Sublime fan. But I can roll to this album anyday. If you want to hear Sublime, get this. |
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 "Sublime........................................" | 2005-06-14 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3G5USKPELFH71 |
| Ok. I'm a big Sublime fan. I have All their cd's but the acoustic one, but anyway, that's not the point. I'm a sucker for live records, and this one is one of thier best. There are a lot of bootleg live albums on the net, and they have their moments, but the sound quality is hard to handle cuz alot of them suck. This is a very good cd. It shows sublime in their true form: "three guys and a dalmation playing reggae and punk songs at parties for beer" to quote, incorrectly, but close enough, the liner notes of this cd. If you are a Sublime fan, get it. Otherwise get 40 oz. To Freedom and s/t. This is a good mix of songs from 40 oz. and Robbin' the Hood. Speaking of which, it does Robbin the Hood justice because they do actual full band versions of the home-produced 4-track songs that were usually just Brad by himself. Highlights include "New Thrash", "Don't Push", "Let's Go Get Stoned", "Greatest Hit's", "Date Rape", "STP", "Pool Shark" (which is a mix of the original and acoustic versions), and an early version of "Caress Me Down". Good Luck. |
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| "okay..." | 2005-06-09 |
| - Reviewed By squeerah |
just a correction, brad did not forget the lyrics to caress me down. if you'd listen to what he says (and remember that he died even before the self-title album, which has caress me down on it, was released) then you'd know that he did not have lyrics to the song yet, and improvised them. it was recorded in the studio after performing it live.
this album is great - buy it. brad is amazing |
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| "amazing....simply amazing" | 2005-03-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3H6WPGLUUUGNF |
i remember the 1st time i heard sublime...i was 10 and heard wrong way and loved it on MTV......but then i didnt listen to them again until my friend gave me the self titled CD for my birthday and i now have a bunch of their CD's and stuff......but this review is for Stand By Your Van....got this for christmas and it hasnt left my CD player in my car....its amazing.. my favorite songs are date rape (classic) and dont push...if you liked 40 oz. to freedom and the self titled its really good plus its got some songs from robbin the hood.......shows the emotion and just amazing music that Bradley, Bud, and Eric had created until May 1996, when Bradley died due to a drug overdose....now some people say o well he deserved to die for being a herion user....well bradley was different he was a family man who had gotten married just a few short weeks b4 that fateful day.....the sad thing was that he worked hard 2 get clean after being sent home from self titled CD recordings due to drug use......it was just that one time relapse that did him in and killed the leader of my favorite band of all time.......also i love the song pool shark...listen to the lyrics....he knew he was gonna lose the war...but now at the very least Bradley is out of the hell his drug use created and we fans are left with the music created by a musical god......
RIP Bradley James Nowell 1968-1996 May your soul be saved now and forever....... |
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| "Great CD, Not Sublime's best" | 2005-02-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1VJLNY0V1XKGE |
| I love Sublime and have for many years. They are by far my favorite and the best band ever. This is a very excellent CD that truely portrays Sublime's live essence. However the sound quality is poor and Bradley misses a few lines in songs such as Date Rape, and Caress Me Down. Personally I think thats makes it better, but non-sublime fans would disagree. Definitly a must have CD, but make sure you've listen to "40 oz to Freedom" or their self titled album first. Sublime kicks ass |
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 "I love Sublime too, but let's not go overboard here.." | 2004-11-06 |
| - Reviewed By voodoochildgnr |
Let me just say that I love Sublime more than just about anyone I know. They've been one of my favorite bands since i was in Jr. High and as I've grown up, their music touches me more and more. But seriously, "Stand By Your Van" is NOT as masterpiece. Yes, it does give a representation of Sublime in their raw, party band form, but the quality of the record doesn't not nearly do the justice of their studio albums. The sound quality isn't very good, and Bradley is obviously wasted throughout the whole record. This wouldn't be a bad thing if he didn't play sloppy and forget the words to certain songs (particularly 'Caress Me Down,' normally one of my favorite songs).
If you have never heard Sublime before, this should definitely not be your first CD of theirs. Don't buy it until after you've heard 40 oz. to Freedom and their self-titled record. Sublime was not just a party band, they had soul and an uncanny ability to sing passionate songs about life's troubles while still giving a feeling of hope. This is not a bad album, but they deserve better.
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| "listen to it again... and again... and again... and." | 2004-11-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2LK49M3CYY9PX |
| I had forgotten about this album and just found it again, looking around on Amazon. Great, amazing, trashy bar room rock and roll. It takes some warming up to but the insane drumming and Brad Nowell's half drunk sleepy-raging energy is by far Sublime at their best. I think I listened to this album for 3 months or so straight when I first got it. Buy it!!! NOW. |
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