Jesusfreakhideout.com: Bleach, "Static" Review

Bleach
Static

Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 12 tracks: 42 minutes, 19 seconds
Street Date: June 30, 1998

READER RATING: Static

� / 5.0 (0 votes)

Bleach has had a variety of sounds in their 8 years together. They started out with an edgy rock sound on their first album, then on their sophomore release, Static, they added some techno elements and different guitar parts. But it's hard to put Static into the category of "techno rock." That really just doesn't describe this album. Bleach's Static is a very unique blend of sounds and stands out from any other Christian album - ever. I couldn't name another album like this from any band that impressed me so much.

To start the album off, Bleach puts on the "in your face" look with "Static" and "Super Good Feeling." The latter track is the song that really got Bleach the attention they deserve when it made a major impact on Christian rock radio around the country. I still hear this song being played occasionally, almost 5 years later. "Rundown Town" is next, a slow but calm and unique track that almost puts you in a daze if you're not careful.

A rude awakening comes next with "Land of the Lost," my personal favorite of the album. Cowbells, tambourines, techno beats and hand claps make this track exceptional. Bleach's message is loud and clear as well, boldly stepping out and stating "I can be the one... to show him how to live today." "Hurricane" and "Warp Factor Five" make this album even more unique with their sound effects and fast/slow/fast beats.

"Rock N Roll" and "Lonestar" are highlights of the album as well, with great sounds and cool vocals. "Code of the Road" is likely Bleach's best ballad of all time, and the acoustic sound is a great pause from the fast paced tone of the rest of the album. "Waving Goodbye" closes the album on a perfect note.

This is my favorite release from Bleach, and once you've heard it, it's impossible not to fall in love. Be sure to check this one out. As they say, it's a humdinger.

- Review date: 3/1/03, written by Spencer Priest of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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JFH Staff's Second Opinion

Bleach's Static is quite an original album, definitely, but not the band's strongest work. It's a pop/rock frenzy indeed, offering up such memorable tracks as "Super Good Feeling," "Rock N Roll," "Land Of The Lost" and the melodic rapture anthem "Waving Goodbye." The somewhat over-polished sound to the record only becomes more obvious with the band's more organic later releases, but it's still a fun album to revisit.

- John DiBiase, 2/24/05

JFH Reader Review

With Static, Bleach makes a huge stride from their debut album Space towards refining their musical talents. Static is both experimental and fun. A more advanced and unique sound is immediately apparent from the lead title track, which like many of the tracks to come, has a very nice synthesized rock sound. This leads into the feel good pop/rock anthem of the album "Super Good Feeling." Things slow down on the next track with the keyboard driven ballad "Rundown Town" before picking back up with four more rock driven tracks. The first of these, "Land of the Lost," is a nicely textured song about setting a good example to others in need of guidance. The next track blows you away with "Hurricane" before leading into "Warp Factor Five," the ultra cool geek rock song about leaving this life for heaven. After another rocker in "Rock N Roll," we are led into the ballad of the album, "Code of the Road," which will have you humming the chorus for days afterwards. There are three more fairly typical Bleach rockers before the album closes on a strong note with "Waving Goodbye," about the rapture.

Overall, this album has the most synthesized feel of Bleach's music, making for both a creative and fun sound. While I would have to say that their later albums are perhaps a bit more refined musically, this album should not be excluded from your collection if you are a fan of fun, clean rock music. Fans of harder hitting bands like Pillar or Blindside would probably think this album has too much of a bubblegum sound, but for fans of catchy alternative rock, this album will definitely stick to you - like Static.

JFH Reader Review: written by Brian Bundren, 2/22/05, for Jesusfreakhideout.com