"More a spectacle than a traditional two-person band, Mad Tea Party consists of vocalist and ukulele strummer Ami Worthen and guitarist, fiddler and drummer Jason Krekel. As Worthen reels out charming and quirky songs with an arch sense of humor, Krekel does double- and triple-duty, creating the illusion of a much bigger band with only two arms and two legs. It's a sight to behold...but Mad Tea Party's unique sound is just as worthy of note. A bubbly amalgam of juke-joint blues, pop, tiki exotica and rockabilly, the band has honed an approach that is unique and affecting without being too precious." - Metro Santa Cruz

“Percolating sounds of 1950s roots rock, mountain music and blues through an interesting array of instrumentations and interpretations, Mad Tea Party creates a rather sly sound rich with an energetic curiousity and a deviously fun flavor.”
– Escape Magazine

”With a hot new album, independent record deal and shows booked into 2009, the kettle is on the boil for Asheville’s Mad Tea Party.” – Citizen-Times

“Mad Tea Party plays a danceable, campy, shredded up mix of just about every kind of American music you can think of…Ami Worthen rips the ukulele, Jason Krekel brings the noise on guitar, fiddle and drums, and they belt out their sweet but biting lyrics with passion and abandon.” – Creative Alliance Baltimore

“Worthen jump-starts the beat on soprano ukulele while ace musician Krekel fortifies the groove on electric guitar, plus two drums and a cymbal he plays with pedals. The results will have listeners up and dancing.” – WNC Magazine

“Hilariously authentic jump-jazz-jive.” – Relix Magazine

“Echoes of acoustic ragtime, Old-Time C & W, creaky carnival themes, early rock and roll (think Ricky Nelson), and R & B all swirl in and out of the mix. Quirky and precocious, they´re an anachronistic version of the sampling aesthetic which fuels alternative hip-hop — but they´re using upright bass, ukulele, fiddle, guitar, kazoo and toy instruments rather than turntables and digital keyboards. It´s a like a mashup between The Mississippi Sheiks and Little House on The Prairie.” — Connect Savannah

“Asheville-based Mad Tea Party is the next generation of wacky, retro-steeped Carolina bands, following in the footsteps of Squirrel Nut Zippers and Southern Culture on the Skids.” — Charlotte Observer

"This is the kind of band that can bring together somewhat disparate people. From the tattooed punk rock guy, to the hipster grandmother, to the hillbilly next door neighbor, everyone can enjoy and absorb something from this music." – Amps Eleven Magazine

"The party is mad, and somebody must have spiked the tea. I'd guess it was that mad ukelele-slinging frontwoman, Ami Worthen. This vaudeville-billy dark-side-of-Hee Haw sound is a lot of her handiwork, retro and sly and full of attitude. 'Our approach is kind of punk rock,' says guitarist Jason Krekel. 'It's very DIY — do it yourself.' Punk may seem a surprising word to associate with a band fronted by a ukelele player. 'It's like going out and doing something completely new,' he says, 'and we're trying to adopt the punk rock attitude about it.'" - Bold Life Magazine

"Asheville-native band Mad Tea Party provide a richly diverse concoction of folk-pop and indie music that proves infectious. The band's undertones are those of musical circus gypsies playing mythical mountain music in modern hipster fashion. The Mad Tea Party is truly a rare feast for the diverse music lover." - Post and Courier

"Worthen’s angel-with-budding-horns vibe can be absorbed straight or skewed, making Mad Tea Party equal to both family festivals and hipster dives." — Mountain Xpress