Sisters Jennifer (vocals, guitar) and Jessie Clavin (guitar, bass) knew things were going to be different for their sophomore album – not only had they managed to charm world-renowned producer and engineer Joe Chiccarelli (Morrissey, The Strokes, Elton John) and co-producer Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, YACHT) to join them and their bassist Micayla Grace in the studio, but Jen and Jessie had been crawling out of their own personal dramas. Jessie was evicted from her house and scrambling, while Jen ended a torrid, unhealthy romance. While emotionally spinning, she dove head first into music.

“I was a loose canon,” the commanding front woman says. “I was losing serious control of my personal and creative life. I was falling apart, trying to escape. I felt like Bleached was the only thing I actually cared about.”

Throughout the record, Bleached paints a frivolous picture of Los Angeles: the life of eye­-rolling caused by dating men in bands, dirty Sunset Boulevard and futile drunken nights in a starstruck hole that made everyone from Charles Manson to Darby Crash to Marilyn Monroe stare up at the Hollywood sign for direction. Although a typical theme of ruined romance floats through the album, the real power is in Jen figuring out herself through lyrics so straight, identifiable and honest, a first for the girl who safely hid behind a cheeky misdemeanor.

“We don’t want perfection because it’s boring,” Jen declares. “We want to make music that’s as real as life.”