Review of Nirvana's 'Bleach'

Before the phenomenon that was Nirvana's 'Nevermind' there was simply 'Bleach'. Unlike 'Nevermind' which transformed Kurt Cobain into a household name, made Seattle the centre of the rock universe and sold in the millions, this was a little known record. "Recorded in Seattle at Reciprocal Recordings by Jack Endino for $600" as the cover proudly boasts, it sold only in the thousands. In light of the later superstardom that the band achieved, the question must be asked; was 'Bleach' an undiscovered piece of gold along the lines of 'Nevermind' and deserving of similar fame, or was it what one would expect from an album recorded for only $600? For those wanting a definitive answer, it is unfortunately both yes and no.

Why no? Well 'Bleach' does not contain obviously likeable songs such as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Come as you Are', the only exception being 'About a Girl', a song bought to public attention by the band's MTV appearance. It is important to remember that at the time of this album (1989) Nirvana was merely a smalltime road band. This is clearly reflected in the album's other 12 songs; they are raw, loud and anything but catchy. For those that became fans of the band because of the instantly enjoyable 'Nevermind' this album would be a big disappointment.

So why yes? Well not everyone was attracted to the band because of their well-crafted pop songs. While acknowledging and loving melodies like 'Teen Spirit', Nirvana seemed to offer so much more. For a start they were aggressive and very passionate about their music. And unlike the shallow product that so many bands seemed to be churning out, here was a band that played music simply for the love of it. As Cobain himself said "music is too important to me to [compromise]. In fact, there was a time when music was all that was important to me."

The album is also interesting because it allows one the opportunity- in hindsight- to reflect on Cobain's state of mind. While he often stated that many of his lyrics are throwaway lines, some appear to be revealing. For example the song 'Negative Creep' with its recurring line "I'm a negative creep and I'm stoned". Likewise 'Paper Cuts' where Kurt sings "I crawl towards the cursed alley/ Sometimes I can't find my way".

On their own the songs on 'Bleach' are not worthy of particular attention. But put into some sort of context- Nirvana's sudden and revolutionary appearance on to the music scene, Cobain's suicide, and their marked contrast with other performers- this is an album that some will appreciate.

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