Ride Your Heart
Dead Oceans Records, 2013
http://www.facebook.com/HelloBleached
REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/18/2013
Album opener “Looking For A Fight” sounds like its title and is the most upfront punk tune here, accompanied by tuneful backing vocals and quick percussion. Jennifer handles the vocals, her sassy attitude coming through on tracks like the melodic and hook filled “Searching Through The Past.” But she also has her own maudlin moments, like the wispy “Guy Like You,” which even hosts slide guitar. While most of this is straightforward poppy punk like “Dead Boy” and “Outta My Mind,” they also move into girl group sounds on “Dreaming Without You.” "Dead In The Head" brings to mind '80s girl outfits like The Bangles or Bananarama.
Though you can hear the rougher, post-punk traces of their former band Mika Miko in this new project, Bleached is a cleaner affair, taking up company with lo-fi tendencies and reverbed guitars. While it still brings to mind early punk sounds, the '60s surf rock, mid '90s alt-rock, and modern day indie rock, the harmonies here show a more refined, sunnier side of the sisters (though the wordplay is pretty dismal for the most part). If you're a fan of Dum Dum Girls or Vivian Girls, make room in your collection for this one. Ride Your Heart is a great starting point for this new endeavor from two very talented young women.