"Madly Love is always rewarding. If you want an easy reference point, imagine a less contrived She & Him, with Southern grit taking the place of all the coyness. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?"

- PopMatters

"Whalen's voice is a warm winter hearth. It's comfy and inviting, with a smoky allure and flashes of fire that infuse her songs with her cool assurance and subtle bite. Neither indie rock nor Americana, Madly Love occupies the pace between the two with bustle, bite and without losing Whalen's sexy, come-hither coo."

- The Independent Weekly

"There is subtlety and power, and in such consummate hands one cannot remain unmoved." 

- Big Takeover

"Weird and intriguing, a distillation of David Byrne-ian quirkiness and an Appalachian folk singer's strange vowels - taking what could be hooky and riffy and massaging it around the edges until it only vaguely resembles what you've heard before. Madly Love is a record that forces you to reset your gauge, a reminder that unaticipated bits and pieces can up as a beautiful, distinctive whole."

- The Daily Tar Heel

About Katharine Whalen and Madly Love

Most known as a founding member of 1990’s band Squirrel Nut Zippers (with whom she sold over 3 million records), Whalen’s work post-Zippers has ranged from her own take on jazz standards with Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad to the avant-pop of her Dirty Little Secret release.

In September 2011, Whalen took a brave step in a new direction when she released Madly Love, her first solo album in over five years and her very first album that featured all original material. For the first time in almost 20 years of performing, Whalen had found her voice. 

Since the release of Madly Love, Whalen has turned her focus towards creating and reestablishing a solo career. She has been regularly performing in the southeast, connecting with old fans and making new ones. She has contributed songs and/or vocals to numerous recording projects including a Queens of the Stone Age tribute curated by Olivier Libaux of Nouvelle Vague. 

When not performing, Whalen is constantly working on her “Tambouring” line. This creative and truly unique line of headbands, fascinators and hats has been featured at numerous art galleries and local shops around the NC Triangle. 

Whalen is a chronic passionate creator and the common thread winding its way through her creations – be it music, millinery, building dollhouses, drafting posters or writing her column on picnics for a local paper – is a general contagious exuberance.