Bleach

Compiling their first two EPs, Eclipse and Snag, on this self-titled release Bleach made the case for a style that, while it gained them plaudits from the shoegaze side of things, showed that there were plenty of ways to approach such a sound than a stereotypical one. Salli Carson’s sharp, spirited singing steered clear of cool crooning or soft sighs, matching the more direct, confrontational tone of the lyrics, lending such songs as “Wipe It Away” and the slow-building punch of “Burn” an edge not often found among the group’s seeming fellow travelers.