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5.0 out of 5 stars
...an absolute blast to listen to., March 2, 2003
At the beginning of the opening track, you hear a voice in the distance state 'This is for your enjoyment', and how right he is! With their first release, Bleach introduced me to Rock Pop at its finest, and is an absolute blast to listen to. With vocals at times reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins and heavy on the guitars, the band's freshman release is a winner.From the guitars and distorted vocals on the opening track, you know you're in for a good time. Eleven keeps you going and sets a rapid pace for the album. Perfect Family shows the fun is in the lyrics as well as the sound, as we are introduced to Jerry and Sally and their mini-bus. Pretty much states a blueprint for my marriage, except for the part where Jerry loses his hair. Any red blooded guy can relate to Epidermis Girl, as the band belts out what we all try for in this Cosmo-girl age, to see past the Epidermis Girl to a deeper love. Tea For Two asks a question we all ask, why can't we all just get along? 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or a cup of tea for two'? I'll take the tea, thanks. Cold & Turning Blue shows a quality the band excels in, hard yet introspective and serious as we are presented with the predicament of Balloon Boy and Galactic Dust Girl. Probably my favorite song of the album, the vocals on Child of Sod really say Smashing Pumpkins all over. There are times when we all feel like a Child Of Sod, and man, it's times like those when it feels good to crank this one and bleed the ears and sooth the soul. Crystals and Cash picks up the pace a bit as it makes you look at what's important. 'Have you ever thought just possibly that your ideals are a twisted philosophy?' Well, have you? Having an almost balled-esk sound, Wonderful is a great teen love song without sacrificing the edgy sound. Cannonball goes slow through the verse, but really belts it out in the chorus to 'let His love break down these walls like a cannonball'. Things lighten up again with Sugarcoated Ways, with almost lounge style backing guitars in the chorus. At a minute before the end of the track, a Pink Floyd-ish bridge ends the song nicely. The album is wrapped up with a bow with the title track, Space. I can't count the number of times I've thought the lyrics of the track, 'I don't want to be your priest, I just want to be your friend, I'm not here to laugh at you, or condemn.'. Heavy guitars and vocals that set the band apart make this debut a great 'good time listen'. Having heard the band's later albums, Space captures a roughness that can only be captured once in a band's career. The album is harder, grungier almost than the later releases, and well worth the investment in a new set of speakers and the hearing aid upgrade. --Chad
--The Edge On-Line
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by Bleach 
