Ahâ¦Mike TV. The band formerly known as Pickled Dick return with a new album: Their second full-length and third official release overall. However, with the addition of a second guitar player, new fancy suits and ties and an increased studio budget, one can't help wondering what more has changed with the band.
Maturity is the answer, I guess. Pickled Dick was known for their infectious Lookout-style pop-punk. Often compared to Dookie-era Green Day, Pickled Dick may not have been the most original band of the last few years but they compensated that wholly with catchiness and hook-filled melodies. On their second full-length we hear a band that has matured. The production of this album is crisp clear, which makes it possible for the harmonies, and I do mean harmonies, to really shine. Although a bit more mid-tempo than their previous albums, Mike TV sounds confident with their new selves. I won't compare this to Dookie anymore, but a mix between Nimrod and Warning: seems pretty spot on.
Granted, not all songs are winners, here. Luckily the meager songs are greatly outnumbered on this disc and aren't even that bad. I find the second song, "Hang Ups," lacking in energy while the chorus isn't half as catchy as I want it to be. Their attempt at an `80s pop song with "The Routine" is not a success, leaving us with a rather boring and unconvincing song. The good songs on here are really good, however, with the punchy "Count In," the rather roots rock ân' roll-ish "When Push Comes to Shove" and the huge chorus in "Lie Low, Lilo" being highlights. The rest of the songs are far from filler material, though, and when you dig Mike TV's style you'll be enjoying all of them.
When you dig your pop-punk well-produced but real, Mike TV is a band you should definitely check out. Granted, they do borrow a lot from Green Day, but that doesn't make this record less fun or catchy. In a world where pop-punk these days is being made strictly for airtime on MTV and to have a good excuse to wear tight pants and dance questionably on stage, Mike TV stand out from the pack with this quality fun release. Good times guaranteed.