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Though not as iconic as Nevermind, Nirvana’s 1989 debut, Bleach, is still an excellent album and a worthwhile listen.
As one of the quintessential grunge bands, Nirvana had a dark, gritty sound that perfectly encapsulates the genre. The album captures a feeling of angst and alienation that resonates with many listeners.
One of the best songs on the album has to be “About a Girl.” It has a very memorable, driving bassline that keeps the song engaging after repeated listens. The song is about lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain’s failing relationship with his girlfriend at the time.
“Blew,” the opening track of the album, is another great song with a unique sound. The guitar uses “drop C” tuning, which lowers the notes on the guitar and gives the song a darker sound. The instrumentation perfectly complements Cobain’s low, droning voice and the themes of entrapment found in the song.
Bleach is a lot more raw than Nirvana’s later albums, but that does not detract from the album at all. Because it is the band’s first album, it experiments with a lot of different sounds not found in their later work. The album is a lot more aggressive and loud than most of their other music.
