The sound of a band that hasn’t yet sharpened their strengths and reached their full potential, Bleach is Nirvana’s most “grunge” album; the influence of sludge metal and garage punk that defined the genre are very evident in this debut album.

The band’s guitars are turned very low, making the riffs sound thick and lurching. It’s clear that Nirvana are often trying to go for a shocking and scary atmosphere on Bleach, but ultimately many of the riffs here just aren’t very memorable and the lyrics are frequently repetitive and just silly, seemingly about nothing at all. Even the surreal metaphors that covered Nevermind conveyed some sense of idea or emotion. And In Utero, while also more of an aggressive album, has more ferocity than Bleach that almost makes Bleach irrelevant (not to mention the band had gotten better at writing songs). Bleach noticeably drops off in quality with the second half of the album.

Also, it’s a shame “Downer” is only a bonus track on some versions of Bleach, because it’s a perfect closer. The fast-paced and quick finish ends the sluggish Bleach with a bang and the ironic lyrics provide a humorous juxtapose to the rest of the album’s morose and negative tone, and Nirvana’s sense of humor has always been one of their most likable aspects.

Bleach is also too indebted to its influences for my taste. Really, this sounds like a 100% solution of early Melvins and Mudhoney releases, and Nirvana’s own unique personality is stiffened because of it.

Bleach is still a good album even if it can’t ever compare to the following two albums (probably not even Incesticide, which was a compilation). The highlights here are “Blew” (the best mix of Bleach‘s underlying pop tendencies and blunt force), “About a Girl” (a hint of the poppier sound to come, even still unrefined), “School” (impossible not to sing along to), “Paper Cuts” (the best at setting up the album’s atmosphere) and “Negative Creep” (the most ferocious), and hardcore fans may find even more to like.