Bleach Babes

The Bleach Babes are a rock band with many influences. The released their 9 track album "Losers" on August 13th. They were fairly short tracks, but I was surprised with how much diversity there were on them. Never a dull moment.

The First track, Slush, is an "intro track". It starts with a whining sound and builds into a symphony of sound. Though some sounds may be corrosive to the ear at first listen, once you dig through you can imagine a ghostly image. Bass and drums lay down an underlying vibe but it's the wailing, screeching, guitar that leads that song. Instant statement, "We are different".

Launching right into a punk rock vibe, Kaleidoscope, brings the energy with crazy drums, fat, though simple, bass lines and hammering guitar. The vocals have great melodies, great phrasing, and though edgy, still easy on the ears. This is a tune to listen to when either snowboarding or skateboarding; Or even surfing (if you have a waterproof case).

Starting off with more of a laid back feel, Basement Trash, is the third song on the album. Solid bass line and steady drums hold the song until the whole band kicks into the chorus with a unified riff which really packs a punch. Trading back into the quieter parts are great for the verses, really adding dynamics and feel to the song. Reminds me of Nirvana. Then, after the final chorus, they slam into double time with a catchy hook to finish the song. Tight.

Rain Check has a great vibe. Solid instrumental with a kind of sway feeling to it. Not quite heavy but not at all soft. Once again great vocal lines. The humming vocal lines are my favourite. They really separate this track from the rest. It's more commercial than the rest of the songs on "Loser." I also love the drumming in this. Not overly complicated, but the perfect amount to fill out the song and keep it interesting to the ear.

Following the age old rule of album dynamics, they kick it up a few notches with Super 6, the shortest track on their album. They start with a catchy, head bobbing riff and then blast it! With the awesome drum beat feel, it just keeps you head banging. I bet this track would sound sound amazing live. Simple to follow the build of the song and great to mosh to.

Love Rug keeps the heart pumping with another rocky-edge tune. By now the listener has heard the sound of the band and their guitar riffing songs with slower vocals and hum catch lines overtop. Wished they had done something new with this tune, music wise. Though, near the end the guitar adds a cool flanger which brings the track to a whole new level! You don't see flanger being used a lot in tracks these days, and I was stoked to hear it come forth at the end.

Dracula, once again, highlights the drummer. Very different beats than the usual 4/4 beats. They then go into a punk beat of high intensity. This tune reminds me so much of Nirvana. Just the way everything is thrown in with such passion but with such a nonchalant-ness. Good tune.

Sandbox brings out a whole new feel once again. Starting with guitar, then drum fill, and then bass, really fills out the sound. A very summery feeling to the song. Great riff and rhythm to the song. I kept expecting the vocals to come in but was surprised to find it an instrumental. This is my favourite track. Not because of the fact there are no vocals, but because without the vocals the riffs and drums and bass get a chance to breath and fill each others space, really sounding united. Great song to blast in the car.

The last track, Beach Babes, is the longest track on their album. It sounds like a track that really defines them. All the elements from the other tracks were there, thrown into one, in a new way! Wished the bass had a few licks that didn't follow the guitar, but solid playing overall. Sounds almost like a surf-punk tune with a little more edge.

The album all together has a cool sound. Not the highest production value, but I don't think this style of music needs it. Mixing wise, I would have liked to hear the drums mixed a bit louder with more kick. The cymbals were great, really filling out the space, but would have liked to hear that driving force of the kick leading the songs on. The vocals were in tune and had that punk feel to it. The guitar was driving and not overly complicated. Bass thumped along at all the right parts. Definitely worth a download, and listen to!

To hear the album and download it go to:
http://bleachbabes.bandcamp.com/releases

To check them out on facebook go to:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BLEACH-BABES/223066191056265 - Hammer Records

When Vancouverites hear of a band from the Fraser Valley, there is often a knee-jerk reaction resulting in an automatic dismissal, as if the abused instruments housed in the garages of suburbia are somehow tainted. Artists like You Say Party and Teen Daze, to name a few, are shattering the myth that great indie music exists exclusively inside the big city walls and Bleach Babes are on their way to adding their names to that list.

Bleach Babes represent a growing suburban youth culture emerging in the Fraser Valley that is slowly but smartly stepping away from the idea that music is something bought at a store that also sells tires and bath towels. With their latest EP, Skids, the Langely trio continue where their debut, Losers, left off, generating a pop-punk affair capable of converting any garage into utter mayhem. Their songs are raw, unfiltered, catchy and aimed at cultivating a vibrant teen punk spirit amidst a city full of strip malls and big box stores.

Bleach Babes have already shown growth from their debut full length, which was released in August. The two tracks featured on the EP (“Kelly” and “Hit The Skids”) have elements inspired by Seattle’s ‘90s grunge scene, but with a north-of-the-border sound that places them comfortably within the radius of Vancouver’s scene. You don’t have to take my word for it because, in the true spirit of indie music, you can enjoy all of their material for free from their Bandcamp page, and I highly recommend that you do. - Discorder Magazine

Losers (Independent)

Bleach Babes is a self-described pop-punk band, but you wouldn’t guess it from the first number on its debut album, Losers. The cut in question, “Slush”, unleashes a series of guitar salvos swathed in Star Trek phaser effects and glammy drums that put it more in league with that Dr. Who/“Rock and Roll, Part 2” mashup than with, say, Best Coast. Despite the out-there intro, the band reveals its punky nature in the rest of the affair.

“Kaleidoscope” bashes by on crunchy hooks and manic go-go beats, as singer Phil Chornohus’s lazy, post-Cobain drawl dishes on sunsets and making amends. The instrumental “Sandbox” ups the Nirvana quotient, with its sole riff sounding sneakily similar to “Drain You”, though it retains a slack, out-of-tune charm of its own.

The supremely casual spirit generally works in the trio’s favour. The deceptively titled “Basement Thrash” is a ragtag, midpaced rocker that hangs on just long enough to unravel a seriously catchy chorus. The anything-goes vibe falls flat, however, when the band doesn’t focus on the melodies. “Super 6”, with its clunky caveman chord progression and Chornohus’s unrefined falsetto, sounds like it was whipped up in under five minutes. But besides a few missteps, Losers has some roughed-up gems. - Georgia Straight