Gold is the third official
Sublime retrospective, following 2002's
20th Century Masters and
Greatest Hits from 1999. But none of it is unreleased, or even very rare. In fact,
Gold is really an abstract, an only slightly condensed run through
Sublime's three studio albums. It includes hits, fan favorites, and a bunch of album tracks, as well as an essay that details again the band's rise and tragic fall for anyone who missed it first 3,000 times. But that's who
Gold must be meant for, that potential
Sublime neophyte, because sliced any other way this set is straight-up opportunism. Diehards will have all of this material a few times over, while casual fans are happy with the self-titled 1996 album. They have their "What I Got," their "Santeria," their "Wrong Way"; they don't need "Let's Go Get Stoned," "Had a Dat," or
Bradley Nowell's earnest meanders into dub. So in that sense
Gold isn't for anybody, because it includes too much shake for the noncommittal but not enough kind for the
Sublime professionals. It's always nice to hear
Sublime's best moments, to imagine them partying and playing through the backyards and beach towns of Southern California. But those memories get a little staler every time they're repackaged. ~ Johnny Loftus