REVIEW: Bleached - Ride Your Heart

Had enough of the lo-fi punk-influenced sunny California reverb-drenched guitar pop? No, me neither. The latest entrants are Jennifer and Jessie Clavin -- a sister pair known as Bleached, and their album is Ride Your Heart.

Growing up they taught themselves to play -  "Me and Jen were punk kids who weren't taught how to play instruments," says Jessie. We taught ourselves how to play, out in the garage." And after a period of time sneaking into LA punk clubs, they formed an all-girl band, Mika Miko, which eventually broke up. Jen and Jessie went their separate ways for a while, but eventually were drawn back together. The rapport they have, and the joy they feel in playing together, are evident in the music - twelve tracks of some of the best pop/punk you will hear all year.

Here's "Next Stop" - don't stop, don't think, just bop along:





I really like the vocal harmonies - they have a way of rushing into and out of them that keeps the momentum of the song going, but still adds some depth to it.

I also like the guitars and the punk drumming - sometimes you want to listen to Blondie, sometimes The Ramones - but sometimes you think it would be nice to listen to both at the same time, right?

Ride Your Heart is out on Dead Oceans, released earlier in April.

And they're touring in Europe - dates below:

05/20/13 - Leeds , UK - Brudenell Social Club
05/21/13 - Glasgow, UK - Art School
05/22/13 - London, UK - Corsica Studios
05/23/13 -  Paris, FR - La Fleche d'Or
05/25/13 - Brussels, BE - Magasin 4
05/26/13 - Hamburg, DE - Molotow
05/28/13 - Stockholm, SE - Debaser Slussen