Tickle Me Pink's
Madeline offers up a familiar interpretation of 21st century emo: lovelorn lyrics, youthful bravado, flat-ironed fashion, and angsty melodies howled by a young, mopheaded frontman. This 11-track debut album rarely tackles any subject beyond the bandmates' girl troubles: "You can't play me like that," asserts the opening song, "It's a matter of fact you're nothing more than a typical whore." Teenagers might gravitate toward that sort of adolescent catharsis, but
Tickle Me Pink's emo songs would benefit from distinguishing elements that might set the group apart from the countless other bands that grew up on a steady diet of
Jimmy Eat World, Chris Carrabba, and MySpace. That's not to say that
Tickle Me Pink need a gimmick to succeed; they just need more to distinguish them from the pack, since emo has become a very congested genre in 2008. The title track comes close to finding that identity; after beginning with a breezy verse, it quickly becomes an ode to a fallen childhood friend, complete with minor-keyed progressions and passionate vocals. ~ Andrew Leahey