Nirvana - Bleach

Rating:

* * * *

Before

Nevermind

there was

Bleach

. The thing about Nirvana's bludgeoning and unruly debut album from 1989, was how it sounded a little too muddy, which is not surprising considering it was recorded for a mere $600.

Twenty years on, thanks mostly to a remastering job by the album's original producer Jack Endino, and the fact songs like

About A Girl

and cover

Love Buzz

have worked their way into musical folklore, it has even more clarity without losing its raw potency.

So when Kurt Cobain howls "no recess" relentlessly on

School

it makes you wanna bunk school, bugger off to the beach and be a negative creep all over again.

Bleach

(released here with a bonus live set and 48-page book) might not have the tunefulness of

Nevermind

and

In Utero

, but as far as down and dirty rock'n'roll goes, it doesn't get much better.

Scott Kara