“The battle is the pleasure. I’m the anti guitar hero - I can barely play the thing myself. I’m the first to admit that I’m no virtuoso. I can’t play like Segovia. The flipside of that is that Segovia could probably never have played like me.”
- Kurt Cobain (Nirvana frontman)
~*~ Cleanliness ... Read review
Bleach - Nirvana
In 1989, Nirvana were mentioned in the same breath as Mudhoney, Tad and The Melvins--just ... more
another band doing the rounds on the Seattle underground.Bleachdoesn't adequately explain why, so many years on, Nirvana remains a household name when so many of their contemporaries have been forgotten, but it offers the first essential clues. "About A Girl", for instance, which was later memorably revived for theirMTV Unplugged In New Yorkalbum, is one of Nirvana's finest moments--a Beatles-esque light touch between the caustic likes of "Floyd The Barber" and "School". It was when Nirvana toned down the fuzz-metallic tendencies so characteristic of the Sub Pop label that Cobain's gift for melody shone through- -notably, the cover of Shocking Blue's "Love Buzz". Of course, Cobain quickly realised this, and much better was to come with 1991's classicNevermind. --Louis Pattison
A review by Protagonist on Bleach - Nirvana (US) August 21st, 2004
Author's product rating:
Originality
Groundbreaking
Lyrics
Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks
Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Good
Value for Money
Advantages:
Original
Disadvantages:
Under - rated
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
“The battle is the pleasure. I’m the anti guitar hero - I can barely play the thing myself. I’m the first to admit that I’m no virtuoso. I can’t play like Segovia. The flipside of that is that Segovia could probably never have played like me.” - Kurt Cobain (Nirvana frontman)
~*~ Cleanliness is next to Godliness ~*~
Recorded in 1989 for a modest $606, the young and hopeful fledgling Nirvana knew nothing of their phenomenal future as Grunge’s biggest stars. It would be their second album and first major label output NEVERMIND that propelled them to the dizzy heights of mainstream fame and media glory, but it would be a travesty to the entire Grunge movement (and rock music in general) to overlook their debut put out on the cult SubPop label. BLEACH is something of a benchmark of the now infamous ‘Seattle Sound’ - before Teen Spirit hit and spawned the likes of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden all vying for the Grunge crown, there was SubPop - a grass roots low key affair calling itself a record company, it gave life to Grunge, put Seattle on the map, and pointed the way to Nirvana.
The pre-NEVERMIND excitement all occured around this trés un-glam setting, and it was BLEACH that inspired the first flux of Nirvana Mania and SubPop hype. Released in June 1989, BLEACH made waves first in the UK. In fact, it was the Brits who caught onto the whole Grunge vibe before anybody else, thanks to the extensive music media interest, particularly from the likes of magazines the NME and Melody Maker. The album was a huge hit by SubPop standards. They had only issued a few thousand CDs, and were soon bowing to intense demand as hundreds of thousands clamoured for a copy. BLEACH still sells well today as new generations of Grungesters fall for the Nirvana charm that never died.
~*~ Big Cheese ~*~
This was Nirvana before the famous Teen Spirit trio became household names, but founding members Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic headed up the then four-piece. Chad Channing was the drummer for the band at this time, one of many before they settled on legendary sticksman Dave Grohl. Finally, Jason Everman is credited on the album as a contributing guitarist. In truth he played nothing in the sessions, but did cough up the $606! He did tour with Nirvana for a while afterwards, but soon left.
Kurt Cobain - Vocals, guitar Krist Novoselic - Bass Chad Channing - Drums Jason Everman - Guitar (or... not)
~*~ The Low Down ~*~
Opening track ‘Blew’ is a good indicator of the overall feel of BLEACH - a brooding low-end heady song, heavy with bass and electrifying guitar riffs - it sets the pace and tone for the album, meandering through deep throaty verses and gut-screaming choruses. If you are going to download any one song to preview the vibe of this record, this is the one to go for.
Second track, ‘Floyd The Barber’ takes it’s name from a character from 60s US TV hit ‘The Andy Griffith Show’. Here Cobain uses his dark lyrical wit to turn a presentation of American rural harmony into a grunge ridden nightmare. So Floyd becomes a grisly Sweeney Todd, decapitating his customers, as the quaint country-folk gather round to feast upon this sadistic ritual. The dark and plodding mood of the song is a perfect match for such content, and builds to a rather stirring crescendo.
In amongst these heavy riffs sits the simple melodious love song ‘About A Girl’ - a perfect piece of Beatle-esque pop, that Nirvana crafted so exquisitely, and shone when performing it live acoustically. Another one you must download, and definitely a more accessible and mellow listen, it will appeal to rockers and popsters alike.
‘School’ follows, bringing back the frenetic guitars and screaming lyrics, as well as an introduction to the Teenage Angst that stapled the Grunge movement. Formed of only 3 lines, repeated over and over, it literally screams out against the monotony of High School life - a crippling existence with “No recess”. The song went under the working title of ‘The Seattle Scene’, and thus extends Cobain’s dislike for cliques and social snobbery out of the school halls and into all areas of the wider world.
‘Love Buzz’ - Nirvana’s first single and unusually a cover track, of Dutch band Shocking Blue’s original. It proved an effective beginning for the band, gaining extensive play on US college radio and building up a decent underground swell for the band. And it’s not hard to see why. Catchy and melodic, it packs a punch that leaves a hell of a bruise.
Next up is ‘Paper Cuts’, a grunge dirge, valuable for it’s lyrical insight rather than it’s often slow and dragging instrumentals. It is a song told from the perspective of a rather frightened and trapped child, you feel, with a strained if not totally disturbing maternal relationship as Cobain asserts that “my whole existence is for your amusement” - Cobain’s voice switching from soft to shrieking as the guitars gear up, and he almost whisperingly repeats the word “Nirvana” over and over into the fade.
Leading straight into the more new-wave and electric ‘Negative Creep’ - a beautifully simple and well-crafted tune, but coming off as totally original to the band. It’s a song of total self-deprecation, one that would secure Cobain’s place as the King of Teenage Angst for the disaffected generation which would soon come to worship him.
“In my eyes, I’m not lazy” begins track eight - ‘Scoff’, a sort of reply to the self-debasement of the previous track, stating that it’s alright for ME to be down on myself, but everybody else can shut up. It’s humurous, as Cobain could often be if you just chose to see it, the chorus made up of only the line “Give me back my alcohol.” Guitars on this track shine, and it’s arranged superbly. Probably quite an under-rated track.
‘Swap Meet’ again uses the same deep plodding verses and high frantic choruses to great affect. A tad repetitive, but a good track. ‘Mr Moustache’ is the next song, much more fast paced and full of anticipation, but we are given no climax in ‘Sifting’, the track which follows. It’s another dirge, slow and heavy, which means it can drag. Not so for the final two tracks - ‘Big Cheese’ is really quite a fantastic little song, a rollercoaster of the soft/loud, heavy/light, dark/lighthearted humour that Nirvana were so good at capturing. Lastly, ‘Downer’ sees Cobain ending on a high. Though not quite in the same league as the first few songs of the album, ‘Downer’ is upbeat and catchy, signalling good things to come.
~*~ The Battle is the Pleasure ~*~
Soft, loud, then soft again - Nirvana perfected this style of music, building on Cobain’s love of the Pixies, it would become a Grunge trademark after NEVERMIND hit the shelves. BLEACH is more of a homage to Kurt’s metal and alt-punk passions, the gut-wrenching kind of passion that strips your throat as you assault the microphone - it is merely a glimpse of what he was capable of in the live arena.
If this is not your kind of thing, you may fight to find the melodies in amongst the racket, but if you have both Black Sabbath and the Beatles in pride of place within your record collection, this would be the perfect offspring.
If you consider yourself a Nirvana fan AT ALL, you must listen to this album and see where it all began. It’s nowhere near as commercial as the popular heavily MTV-rotated music, but it’s priceless in it’s originality and experimental metal/punk/pop hybrid sound. Want to know what Grunge REALLY sounds like?! Get a doseful of BLEACH.
~*~ And Finally... ~*~
To conclude, if you like your rock raw, rancid, and raucous then you should already own this! If, however, you like a soft easy to swallow slice of radio friendly musak, then steer clear. You need real rock passion to fully appreciate this Grunge gem.
*Track List*
(1) Blew (2) Floyd The Barber (3) About A Girl (4) School (5) Love Buzz (6) Paper Cuts (7) Negative Creep (8) Scoff (9) Swap Meet (10) Mr. Moustache (11) Sifting (12) Big Cheese (13) Downer
Standout tracks: Blew, About A Girl, Love Buzz, Negative Creep
~*~ When, Where, and How Much?! ~*~
BLEACH has been out for eons, so if you don’t have it, you better have a good excuse! It is still widely available in all major music retailers (such as HMV and Virgin, and also many Woolworths and WHSmith stores) and online, for varying prices, anywhere between £6 and £12. Remember, prices tend to go up at major anniversaries (e.g. Kurt Cobain’s death in April), so search for the best deal.
Advantages: 90% Of Songs Disadvantages: 10% Of Songs
...that make the lyrics on Bleach unique, is that when Kurt wrote this album he was as yet unaffected by the instant stardom that would become the basis of much of his future songs. The angst from which these songs are derived hail back to Kurt’s childhood, his parents divorce and his bad experiences at school. The night before the Bleach studio sessions, Kurt still hadn't written many of the songs that appear on Bleach, so a huge amount were ... ...Sales of Bleach were the best ever achieved by a band with Sub-Pop, and the ill-fated European tour that followed it's release is nevertheless a reflection of it's importance in the Nirvana story. Compared to the later and better known Nirvana efforts, Bleach sounds quite obscure. However, as well as being an excellent representative of the early mind of Kurt Cobain, the album is full of good grunge songs. Then highlights of About A Girl, Negative ...
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Advantages: Catchy riffs and beats, strong vocals, the pop-influenced 'About A Girl' Disadvantages: Some songs can be rather average at times, claustrophobic-sounding
Bleach has a 3-piece rock band sound - Jason Everman, whom is credited on guitars, does not play a note on the album (but pays the 600 notes to cover the cost of the recording), so when it's guitar solo time for Kurt Cobain (front man), Chris Novoselic (bass) and Chad Channing (drums) carry the rhythm for the majority of the tracks, with Dale Crover as drummer for the remainder. The album goes down under the genre of grunge, and despite on initial ... ...this to their successful Nevermind. Bleach does have a fair share of catchy riffs and beats in amongst the thirteen tracks, but the low production values does make the album small-sounding, so the audio aspect does not pack a powerful punch.
NOTEWORTHY SONGS
1. BLEW
The album begins on a low, that is, the low bass notes of this song, where the guitars have been tuned two tones down - supposedly somebody made the mistake of detuning the guitars ...
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Advantages: Raw and on Edge Disadvantages: Not as pop as Kurt would have liked it and the lyrics are bizarre
In 1985 Kurt Cobain met fellow Melvins fan Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington and formed a band. After a series of name changes they finally settled on Nirvana and released their debut album, 'Bleach' (working title; 'Too many Humans') with Sub Pop in 1989 with Chad Channing as drummer (he would later be replaced by Dave Grohl). Listing their influences from a diverse range of musicians including Mudhoney, the Pixies, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, ... ...pop music.
After sudden success with their second album ;Nevermind' Cobain's emotional stte became increasingly more erratic until his suicide in 1994 Afterwards Krist Novoselic went on to form the less than successful 'Sweet 75' and later 'Set Adrift' with Curt Kirkwood (meat Puppets and Bud Gaugh (Sublime). Dave Grohl went to drum for just about everybody including Queens of the Stoneage, Tenacious D and Nine Inch Nails and then formed the 'Foo ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Aaah 1989. A nice year for me. Holiday in the sun with the chaps in Kos, personal business all sorted back home.......until one of the albums I read about in the music mags I took away with me mentioned about this album. For those of you not old enough to remember, hairspray metal ruled the roost in those days, think of Europe and "The Final Countdown".....oh the guilt........but in the hinterlands of Seattle, Northwest United States, three men and ... ...would annhailaite the existing order and the rock world would never be the same again. Still isn't either.
Look do you really need me to tell you the three members of Nivarna - well actually this album credits four - the other guitar player didn't play, he lent Kurt the $600 for its recording. Six hundred dollars which must have been repaid one hundred times over by now. Not by Kurt though, sadly.
Alright this is for you Nirvana virgins....take ...
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Advantages: Different Drummer and a rhythm guitarist Disadvantages: Bit tinny
...one I skip on the Bleach album! 7) Negative Creep - I have always wanted to play this live in a club or maybe a club, just imagine when the guitar fades and the drums loop there being some kind of strobe light on and it would really go with the tune! I always put this song on before I got to any mad places, IE Nottingham's Rock City or Liverpool's Krazy House! Kewl places to go if your into all this type of music, and can't be assed listening to ... ...to! Don't mean to drone on irrelavent to the tune, but some useful info I suppose! lol! Kurt let the guitar rip on this particular song and used every bit of breath and energy he had to scream from his diagraphm! That's all I can tell you for now, dont want to spoil such a fantastic album for you all!
HMV or music zone: - £5.99
Tip to get it for free, visist www.valuedopinions.co.uk and sign up they give away free HMV vouchers for every survey ...
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...It's easy for some people just to dismiss the grunge era in the early nineties as sheer noise and nothing more. Sure there were a lot of pretenders who have fallen by the wayside but the real quality outshone everything else. The mark of a great band has been to strip them down, away from the overdrive pedals and large amps and into a more intimate enviroment. This is where the MTV unplugged series comes in and gives us some truly memorable performances.
That's where Nirvana dispelled the opinion that they were just noise. In this stripped down enviroment Kurt Cobain's song take on a whole new element. The album starts off with the usual whooping and hollering before the words "this is off our first record...most people don't own it" lead us into 'About A Girl' from the Bleach album. This has always been one of my favourite Nirvana...
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Label / Distributor: Sub Pop/Warner / Cinram Logistics, Geffen / Universal Music
Engineer: Jack Endino
Producer: Jack Endino
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Stereo: Stereo
Format: Performer
EAN: 98787003420, 8811929121
Catalogue Number: 9878700342
Additional notes
Album Notes: Nirvana: Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar); Jason Everman (guitar); Chris Novoselic (bass); Chad Channing (drums). Additional personnel: Dale Crover (drums). Recorded at Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, Washington. With a sludgy, chainsaw guitar sound that owes as much to early Black Sabbath as to Kurt Cobain's heroes The Melvins, whose drummer puts in an appearance here, Nirvana emerges from Seattle's underground scene as standard-bearers of a style that embraces the anger and energy of punk alongside the thick, muddy sonic attack favored by early '70s proto-metal bands. Cobain's lyrics are fueled by outrage and self-loathing, combining literary flair with a direct, visceral quality that makes him a viable candidate for the John-Lennon-of-Gen X award. Nirvana's debut album showcases what sounds more like a force of nature than a rock band. The unrelenting fervor with which the group delivers these 13 tunes is almost frightening. There is also a strong melodic flair that leavens the ferocity occasionally, hinting at the scope of Cobain's compositional talents. "Love Buzz" and "About A Girl" show off enough pop smarts to make it clear that as strong as BLEACH is, Cobain's hiding even more tricks up his sleeve.
Titles on disc 1
1.: Blew
2.: Floyd The Barber
3.: About A Girl
4.: School
5.: Love Buzz
6.: Paper Cuts
7.: Negative Creep
8.: Scoff
9.: Swap Meet
10.: Mr Moustache
11.: Sifting
12.: Big Cheese
13.: Downer
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