Bleach are: Kanna (Vocals/Guitar), Sayuri (Vocals/Drums) and Syukusuke (Vocals/Bass). They are quite literally, three girls from Okinawa. All about 18, the girls stir up a riotous punk noise all sung in Japanese. You may not be able to understand what they are saying, but you can definitely hear their emotions through the sreeching vocals, punky fuzzbox guitar, progressive basslines and pounding drumwork.
Imagine if Dillinger Escape Plan did a version of Prodigy's massive hit "Firestarter". Now imagine it shouted in Japanese. Now imagine it slathered with teenage angst and a Pastorius gone harcore bassline. Now imagine it with a mildly calm middle 8. Now imagine the middle 8 being ripped to pieces with feedback. On oestrogen. With kitten heels. You've got Width Of A Field Of View, opening track on Three Girls From Okinawa.
Second track Baby Pig Number 28 is fuzzy riot grrl punk funk, with Kanna doing her shouting/rapping thang like the love child of Ian Dury, Keith Flint and Kathleen Hanna. The drums pound, the guitars thrash and the bass grooves. It could be Bleach's very own anthem.
If Width... is Bleach bursting on to the scene and Baby Pig... is them getting taking a walk around the block then Bleach Street is all three girls having a full on argument with the neighbours. The girls pass the mic around like a burning hot coal, each spitting rage in to it while they fuse together thrashed up mayhem on the instruments.
Most of the other tracks on this album are swaggers around the nighbourhood, but one stands out from the crowd. Sacrifice. The only slow song on the album. It's creepy, it's sinister, it's gothic. Kanna sings this one and it sounds vaguely non threatening, but there's underlying sinister goings on beneath the sugar coating.
All in all, this album is great. Some of the tracks could be passed off as mere filler, but underneath that there are some serious highlights. On the first listen, you'll think 'what a racket!', but after a few serious listens you will appreciate it. However, it isn't for everyone.
