Tickle Me Pink

It was well nigh impossible to judge this recording objectively on its release date due to the startling death of bassist Johnny Schou — and even weeks later, Schou's liner-note thanks to friends, family and "last but not least you!" spurs a melancholy reaction he could never have anticipated. Regarding...

By Michael Roberts

July 31, 2008

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It was well nigh impossible to judge this recording objectively on its release date due to the startling death of bassist Johnny Schou — and even weeks later, Schou's liner-note thanks to friends, family and "last but not least you!" spurs a melancholy reaction he could never have anticipated. Regarding the songs, they're certainly serviceable, and sometimes more than that, but they're often limited by their fealty to formula. The players rely heavily on the familiar soft-hard/quiet-loud dynamic, which is why so much of the material sounds "Typical" — the name of the CD's single and most effective track. Still, some moments, like the frantic middle section of "I Can't Breathe," suggest that these guys are capable of pushing themselves further. Hope Schou's memory encourages them to do just that.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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