Twink, the Toy Piano Band! Twink, the Toy Piano Band!

Review of the Twink CD & picture-book from Proper Magazine by Neil Summers

And now for some genuinely enchanting madness.

Twink is a wonderful little picture book all about a playful rabbit's forays into the woods (yes rabbits again - Watership Down has a lot to answer for I'm telling you) accompanied by a 25 track CD all created by toy piano enthusiast Mike Langlie which also features giggle sticks, squeaky toys, hurdy gurdys, an Optigan, pling plong, theremin, water glasses and probably a kitchen sink with a few film samples thrown in for good measure.

It is a tad wacky but in a lovely melodic sort of way and it can't help but make you giggle your bunny ears off. It's what I imagine Japanese children listen to in kindergarten as well as perhaps convicted lunatics as they sit in their padded cells sucking on their fists rocking back and forth, so something for everyone there really. The plinky plonk of the toy piano and accompanying beats and chimes really do start to have a strange effect on you. It reminded me of the album Spooky did using just household items a few years back - it shouldn't work but for some reason it does.

Funky in parts, sinister and electro-y in others but defiantly interesting and kooky throughout. Not for everyone but I'm pretty sure kids and their eccentric parents will be delighted.

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