Bleached "For the Feel" (2014) (ep)

For the Feel, ep
release date: Jul. 22, 2014
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,44]
producer: ?
label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "For the Feel" (4 / 5) - 2. "Poison Ivy" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Born to Kill" (3 / 5)

Ep follow-up to Bleached 2013 debut album, the sister duo continue their garage rock style. The title track was left out from the debut, but eventually they made a new studio recording of the song and felt it should be issued. Perhaps it has a bit more surf rock and rock & roll to it with reverberating twangy guitars, which is found in the two remaining tracks. The second track is a cover of a song by the 1950s and 60s American rock & roll, doo-wop band The Coasters, though this version has more in common with a Rolling Stones cover of the song from 1963. The last track is a cover-version of a song by 1970s Brittish punk rock band The Damned taken from their '76 debut album. With this 3-track ep Bleached continue to shine, and they keep being more than hot air.

Bleached "Ride Your Heart" (2013)

Ride Your Heart [debut]
release date: Apr. 2, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Rob Barbato
label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Next Stop" (3 / 5) (live on KEXP) - 3. "Outta My Mind" - 4. "Dead in Your Head" (live on KEXP) - 5. "Dreaming Without You" - 7. "Love Spells" (3 / 5) (live on KEXP) - 8. "Searching Through the Past" (live on KEXP) - 11. "Guy Like You"

Studio debut album by Bleached, a duo consisting of the two sisters Jennifer and Jessie (aka Jessica) [birth name] Clavin (both former Mika Miko members). Jennifer plays guitar, percussion, piano, and handles vocals, and Jessie plays bass, guitar, lap steel guitar, percussion, and also vocals. Only other musicians on the album are Dan Allaire on drums and Will Canzoneri on clarinet and organ.

Initially, I thought this wasn't interesting at all, but really, it is! It's lo-fi, indie pop, or just: garage rock revival somewhere between Alabama Shakes, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Pixies with a nice touch of '70s Blondie. It's downright dirty, like 'garage rock' has to be, but it's also harmonic, refreshingly simple, and in a positive sense: quite easily digested, which also makes me think of a slower up-to-date version of The Ramones.

(live performance at KEXP)