Think Pink

SteveK on Madeline – the new release from Tickle Me Pink

It’s been a bittersweet year for Fort Collins, Colorado rockers, Tickle Me Pink. Founding member Johnny Schou died tragically just as their debut album, ‘Madeline’ was to be released.

It’s hard not to preface this review with that bit of news, given how much death and tragedy has shaped the band’s sound. ‘Madeline’ takes its name from the title song off the album, which is about a girl that singer Sean Kennedy went to school with; a girl who died from a drug overdose (which may or may not have been suicide). Most of the songs on this album are semi-autobiographical in nature and deal with a wide variety of very heavy subject matter. Suicide is revisited again on the song ‘Tomorrow’s Ending’, the closing track on the album.

It is to Tickle Me Pink’s credit that they are able to deal with the topics of their songs without resorting to being overly melodramatic, maudlin or intense. The songs have a light, carefree feel, although there is absolutely no levity present in the music. They deal with their subject matter, from sexual manipulation to drug abuse, from suicide to hatred, with all the seriousness and respect the topics deserve. It is a rare thing for such a young band to be able to tackle such topics without being ham-handed and preachy in their delivery.

There are some songs on this album that are tailored towards a live show, such as “I Can’t Breathe” whose chorus is ideally suited to being screamed back at the stage by an enthusiastic audience. However, Tickle Me Pink manages to craft their songs for the live venue without cheapening their product or pandering to their target demographic. The eleven songs on ‘Madeline’ are sincere, honest, heartfelt. The mandatory ballad, “Beside The Others”, is destined to be a breakup anthem for a great many people over the next several months; not only is it beautifully poetic but it is also ready-made for the “relevant” teen dramas on television or the movies.

What astounds me is that so many more experienced musical acts out there are unable to walk the many different tightropes that Tickle Me Pink are walking, with half as much finesse. TMP manage to deliver music with a message, without being preachy or self-righteous. Their music is ready to pump up a live audience, without being shallow and pandering. Their songs are ready to play on TV, radio and the movies, without being soulless, insincere and commercial. It is hard to believe these guys are as new and as young an act as they are, because it is rare to find a new release by a new artist as flawless as ‘Madeline’.

The album is pure perfection, capably produced and well performed; I’ve listened to it repeatedly in the last couple of days and it remains fresh and entertaining. Perhaps the only problem is that they have set a very high standard with this first release. Somehow, I have faith that it is a standard they will not only be able to live up to, but to surpass.

Tickle Me Pink: Madeline
Wind-Up Records
Steve’s Rating: 10/10

http://www.ticklemepinkrock.com

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