Bleach

This is one case where the legend really precedes the record itself. Cut for about 600 dollars in Jack Endinos studio over just a matter of days, this captures Nirvana at a formative stage, still indebted to the murk that became known as grunge, yet not quite finding their voice as songwriters. Which isnt to say that they were devoid of original material, since even at this stage Kurt Cobain illustrated signs of his considerable songcraft, particularly on the minor-key ballad About a Girl and the dense churn of Blew. A few songs come close to that level, but thats more a triumph of sound than structure, as Negative Creep and School get by on attitude and turmoil, while the cover of Love Buzz winds up being one of the highlights because this gives a true menace to their sound, thanks to its menacing melody. The rest of it sinks into the sludge, as the group itself winds up succumbing to grinding sub-metallic riffing that has little power, due to lack of riffs and lack of a good drummer. Bleach is more than a historical curiosity since it does have its share of great songs, but it isnt a lost classic -- its a debut from a band that shows potential but havent yet achieved it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine