On SECOND-HAND SMOKE, the surviving Sublime members and long-time collaborator Miguel gather together some of their earliest demos along with more recent out-takes in a final tribute to their late leader, drug casualty Brad Nowell. Comparing the earliest work on this release to the later hits, it's striking how far Nowell's songwriting had progressed. The band was just beginning to synthesize its diverse influences into something that was instantly recognizable as Sublime. The early songs range from the straight pop of "New Realization" to reggae ("Don't Push") to the blend of ska and hip hop that was their signature ("Garbage Grove"). On "April 29th 1992 (Leary)," Nowell explores the real motivation behind the LA riots from the partly-humorous, partly-serious point-of-view that would characterize the bulk of his work. One can only wonder how far Nowell would have taken his music had he not passed away just as he was entering his prime.

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