In retrospect, Anthony Carew from the About.com Guide said that the album "definethe entire decade of the '90s", and awarded it four out of five stars. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album three and a half out of five stars, noting that "Kurt Cobain illustrated signs of his considerable songcraft, particularly on the minor-key ballad 'About a Girl' and the dense churn of 'Blew'". He also said that "it's a debut from a band that shows potential but haven't yet achieved it." "Bleach" was considered by "Rolling Stone Magazine" as "a moderate hit on college radio and the underground/DIY circuit." Robert Christgau regarded it as possibly an "A–" record in retrospect, and wrote in "The New Yorker", "Familiar now with Cobain's extraordinary gift, we can hear it loud and clear on the 1989 debut album, "Bleach". Cobain's gigantic, goofy, bass-playing buddy Krist Novoselic added drollery to the band's chaotic irreverence." In 2000, author Dave Thompson stated "history hear a word against [the album", but added if "one just came down from a few decades on Mars, 42 minutes of growly, lo-fi probably wouldn't change your life too much".