Thoughts on the Songs for Sorrow EP?

[harlequeen]

Don't forget it was Mika aged 6-11 on that album...

() ... as we have just learnt

 

 

maybe he was talking about the EP and they misinterpreted it

 

but anyway, to begin with he's stated that LICM was sort of a coming-of-age album, but not all of the songs fitted into that either, and there are some songs on LICM that very well might fit for younger age experiences and emotions too.

 

I think we shouldn't overreact to this sort of things. Even Mika develops like everyone else, as does his work. He might look at his past work from another angle now, or want to set it in a different perspective with the newer songs. It doesn't make older statements untrue just because there's a change of mind when looking at things from a greater distance. Our 'truths' change with the setting all the time . Mika is no exception for sure

[FREDDIESDOUBLE]

maybe he was talking about the EP and they misinterpreted it

 

but anyway, to begin with he's stated that LICM was sort of a coming-of-age album, but not all of the songs fitted into that either, and there are some songs on LICM that very well might fit for younger age experiences and emotions too.

 

I think we shouldn't overreact to this sort of things. Even Mika develops like everyone else, as does his work. He might look at his past work from another angle now, or want to set it in a different perspective with the newer songs. It doesn't make older statements untrue just because there's a change of mind when looking at things from a greater distance. Our 'truths' change with the setting all the time . Mika is no exception for sure

 

Ohhh nice point of view newbie

[RAK1]

maybe he was talking about the EP and they misinterpreted it

 

but anyway, to begin with he's stated that LICM was sort of a coming-of-age album, but not all of the songs fitted into that either, and there are some songs on LICM that very well might fit for younger age experiences and emotions too.

 

I think we shouldn't overreact to this sort of things. Even Mika develops like everyone else, as does his work. He might look at his past work from another angle now, or want to set it in a different perspective with the newer songs. It doesn't make older statements untrue just because there's a change of mind when looking at things from a greater distance. Our 'truths' change with the setting all the time . Mika is no exception for sure

 

 

Excellently said:thumb_yello:

For me, after listening to LA and LJ, I couldn't get over how crystal clear his voice is!

It's absolutely beautiful, and I can't get enough of it!

The lyrics seem to have improved in leaps and bounds too. Not saying the lyrics on LCIM were't great, they were. But these new songs, like Marilyn said, have brought him into a new evolution of songwriting. And if he doesn't win an Ivor again next year I'll eat one of my many hats!

[suzie]

As I haven't really written anything about the EP yet, let me reflect on some comments I read on several threads ...

 

Basically, it seems that some people believe that following the release of this EP a considerable number of fans will leave him as these songs are so different as opposed to GK and LT - someone even called these songs 'bubble gum pop'.

 

First of all, I have to object to the use of this word: just because something is upbeat, it does not mean that it is disposable... Grace Kelly is so sophisticated that I am personally hurt if anyone puts it in bubblegum pop category. It is so different in structure than any other mainsteam pop songs of the last 2 decades.

 

Secondly, just because something is easy to listen to, it does not mean that it was written with less effort or is worth less. Mozart is also rather easy to digest, yet no-one calls his music bubble gum music as opposed to Wagner, for example.

 

Thirdly, I do believe that most MFCers have already seen the ability to write songs like Toy Boy or Lady Jane early in his career... (Do not forget that Over my Shoulder was released on LICM)

 

Therefore, I personally believe that there will be very few fans leaving him, with the exception of people who were only into his pictures and have grown up a bit.

[xlindee]

I think the EP is fine for what it is - a bit of a self-indulgent side project and a foundation for the acoustic tour. I will enjoy these songs live (already have with Toy Boy and Blue Eyes).

 

The problem is with the timing, as it should have been released last year and not as a runup to a new album. The press and most fans are going to view this EP as a comeback of sorts and be misled into thinking that this is some strange new direction Mika has taken with his music.

 

Honestly if I had heard Lady Jane and Lonely Alcoholic on Mikasounds without hearing Blame it on the Girls, etc. at the secret gig and watching clips on his new music vlog - I would have freaked out.

 

I read some comments on Perez's blog, written by Mika fans, that Mika has lost his magic. Mika can only hope that most of the 5 million people who bought LICM don't catch wind of this EP until the album comes out as I'm sure many would have a similar reaction.

 

I am also finding with Lady Jane that I am not horribly averse to the falsetto as I was at first and think the story is interesting in the way that Toy Boy is and Lonely Alcoholic is not. But some of the word choices are terribly grating and I can't get past them. All of that fish talk and words like "abort" do not work and strike me as either being too lazy to construct a more fluid and elegant way of expressing the ideas or contrived to make a convenient rhyme.

 

This is not the case with Toy Boy and I can't help thinking that if he'd just spent more time on Lady Jane it could have been in the same league.

 

As Bab said Lonely Alcoholic is Broadway cheese in the extreme, but I can tolerate it since it doesn't come across as a serious song. I find that cheesiness far more cringeworthy in many performances of Any Other World because of the earnestness of the song and the early acoustic performances of Rain were just completely unbearable to me. Now that almost a year has gone by and he's managed to produce a version that's 1000% better, I can't imagine the original acoustic version is ever going to grow on me.

Oh wow, this is one heavy post. I agree on most of it though.

 

I never thought about the timing, but now you mentioned it, maybe you're right. Maybe this is too late.

Anyways, he's not going to release a single of this EP, is he? Then not much people will notice it anyway.

 

If I'd only have heard these songs, I'd have freaked out as well. I can understand that if you're just a casual fan who hasn't been checking the news, you'd be very..flabbergasted.

 

I also agree on the word choice in the songs. I couldn't help but thinking when I first listened to it: Uurgh..couldn't he have chosen another word here? Couldn't he have picked a synonym of that there?

 

I think it's an interesting theory, that if he'd spend more time on it, it could have been a better song.

But yeah, we will never find out.

 

I don't know what earnestness means, so nothing about AOW.

 

Yeah..Rain..musically I thought it was good. His voice was good..until that chorus. He sounded as if he was in pain or something.

I really wonder what that bit of: ''when you let it rain you let it rain when you let it rain you let it rain'' or whatever he was singing there sounds like on the album.

 

Oh, but of course. As much as I'm dissecting these songs for the sake of constructive criticism, I still think that they are a million times better than many or most of the LICM ones for sure, hence why I said that I find that his writing has improved a lot. Big Girl is actually quite a bad song tbh.

 

I don't think Big girl is necassarily (I'll never learn how to spell that righ) a bad song. I actually think it's quite funny, and dancable.

Some of the lyrics are quite bad though, indeed.

[dilek]

didn't read back,too long posts too little English:naughty:

 

anyway i'm not gonna tell my thoughts on this EP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ok. i can't stand LJ:aah:(yet still i listen to it hoping it'll grow on me:mf_rosetinted:) even though everyone says it's a deep story and a meaningfull song it just doesn't do the trick that toy boy does. and for me it's not only lyrics but also his voice.

 

i can't even concentrate on lyrics when he's trying to raise his voice that much.it's painfull:boxed:

 

loved LA's mellody but that's it.

 

don't like Blue Eyes.(yes i said it)

 

Love toy boy from the very first moment!

 

 

and i agree with Christine on the wrong timing.

he was a ghost for 2 years and for "other" fans this is his second coming. and i understand why they say they're disappointed.

 

it's good that there are only 10.000 copies.actually 5.000 would do it too:mf_rosetinted:

 

 

and don't get me wrong, i can't wait to get my copy. i'm just voicing my concerns for him.

 

but hopefully with the 2nd album everyone will forget about this EP

[SashaX]

As I haven't really written anything about the EP yet, let me reflect on some comments I read on several threads ...

 

Basically, it seems that some people believe that following the release of this EP a considerable number of fans will leave him as these songs are so different as opposed to GK and LT - someone even called these songs 'bubble gum pop'.

 

First of all, I have to object to the use of this word: just because something is upbeat, it does not mean that it is disposable... Grace Kelly is so sophisticated that I am personally hurt if anyone puts it in bubblegum pop category. It is so different in structure than any other mainsteam pop songs of the last 2 decades.

 

Secondly, just because something is easy to listen to, it does not mean that it was written with less effort or is worth less. Mozart is also rather easy to digest, yet no-one calls his music bubble gum music as opposed to Wagner, for example.

 

Thirdly, I do believe that most MFCers have already seen the ability to write songs like Toy Boy or Lady Jane early in his career... (Do not forget that Over my Shoulder was released on LICM)

 

Therefore, I personally believe that there will be very few fans leaving him, with the exception of people who were only into his pictures and have grown up a bit.

 

I agree with almost everything.

 

Personally, I think that this EP is showing and will show a little deeper his abilities as a songwriter and also the use of his voice is a bit different.

 

I really like LJ and LA and also think that is courageous by Mika to show this (almost) new side of his art.

 

I think that most of the fans will like this EP because it's always Mika, it's him, another one of the thousands sides his personality has.

 

What can I say, he has my support maybe I need this kind of music in this period

[avoca]

it's amazing how absolutely various opinions are over these new songs. never been SO different before.

[babspanky]

It's poetry. There are layers of meaning supported by the word choices. So, one can listen to the song literally and understand the story, but if one chooses to listen to it as poetry then more layers of meaning are revealed within the story. The listener may end up picking up on unintended interpretations as well, but good poetry is designed for that.

 

The lyrics are like his music. They seem simple and obvious, but there's more going on than is immediately apparent. It's a great treat for people who enjoy such things and annoying for people who don't like such games.

 

That would be me then. I really don't want anything too clever arse, I just want to relax and listen to something reasonably uncomplicated.

I have complications galore in real life. I don't need them in the songs I listen to.

I don't want to write a dissertation on Mika's lyrics either IMO too much dissection and interpretation spoils a song, poem or book.

[babspanky]

I thought so too. Then, I realized what was different.

 

He usually sounds like he's making merry sport of the topic, like he's having a laugh even when the subject is serious. Happy Ending was definitely a sorrowful song, but still sung with a bright tone, hopeful, maybe.

 

There's a dark undertone to Lonely Alcoholic. He's singing it like a bitter musician in a dive bar taking shots at his audience, who probably aren't paying him any mind. It's a pretty mean song even though the piano part is upbeat.

 

Lady Jane is sung with a different sort of tone, almost mocking, maybe.

 

I actually like it because it IS a departure for him and I was HOPING he'd be able to do that. I wanted to hear something different from him this time around and I got it! I want to hear what else he can do. I want to see what else he can put into his music. I'm excited to see what he's done with the album and am already looking forward to the upcoming years of his career. I think he has a lot to offer and I want to hear all of it.

 

Edited To Add: I'm not meaning that you should like it too. Just offering the perspective of a different ear. If you don't like it that's totally valid. Being a fan doesn't mean you have to love everything he does. Goodness knows I wasn't shy about my dislike for Rain when I heard bad recordings of it. Having seen the PDP DVD, I'm still undecided, but I don't hate it. I just hope there's more to it on the album because it sounded like it needed fleshing out. We'll see.

 

 

If you have read anything I have written you would probably know that I don't love everything he does by a long chalk and if that's the case I will say so. If others don't regard me as a fan, tough ****. I won't say I like something just to please others or Mika come to that. That has always been my stance.

However if I do like something I won't hesitate to heap on the praise.

 

Coming back to Lady Jane, I just do not like Mika's voice in it. It just doesn't sound natural to me, I don't know how else to describe it, it makes me cringe, sorry but it does.

If I get to like it at any time I will let you know.

[keti]

Mika said himself that he's releasing this EP not for a commercial matter, but for artistic reasons (there are his words from the French interview that has been posted on here) and because he always wanted to do so. Personally I just love his lyrics and I agree with Rose, Rivers and Marilyn that he had actually made a huge progress not just as a musician, but as an artist in general and that his real time is just coming now.

As for me, my favourites are "Lady Jane" and "Lonely Alcoholic". I also admire the "Toy Boy" lyrics, not the music, and I don't like "Blue Eyes" at all because it's got some sort of a country vibe which I simply hate.

I loved "Blame It On The Girls" in the vlog he posted, but I can't say I liked it when he performed it in LA. Maybe because it was acoustic, I don't know, it just didn't grow on me.

I guess that "We Are Golden" and "Rain" will be huge hits because I assume they will be pretty mainstream ("Rain" especially) and very much liked by audience (and critics), like "Relax" was - not by its lyrics or meaning, but just for the sound and beat of it, because that's what most people love - happy, relaxed sounds. Can't wait to hear them in full version.

Edited May 11, 2009 by keti

[Moonlightchild]

But Sari, do you really like his voice, espcially in LJ?

It just doesn't sound like the real Mika to me, it sounds like he's trying too hard to get the sound right, like someone trying to sing in a style that just doesn't come naturally. I really don't like it.

I might change my mind, but don't hold your breath.

Well that are my thoughts too for LJ. I'm happy you said this because I started to think i was the only one who noticed it.

I don't know if I'm going to buy this EP because 18 euro or something like that for 4 acoustic songs seems to be a little too much.I know there is the artwork but I don't care that much about it. On the other hand I'm afraid if at some point i will regret it for not buying this because it's so unique ,like a collectors item.

 

Oh, I still have some time to think it over.

Oh and a lot of you don't seem to like the lyrics of LA, I don't see why not,I like them more than the lyrics of LJ and more than some LICM lyrics and i like the subject of the song.

What i love about Mika is that he doesn't write to much "I love you,don't leave me" songs but about life issues.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Moonlightchild

[purplegrape]

I think the entire idea is wonderful ♥

 

I loved blue Eyes the moment I heard it and it was my favourite of all of the new songs. Toy Boy is amazing too, the lyrics are perfect and I like his idea about telling twisted fairy tales like with both Toy Boy and Lady Jane.

I'll admit, the first time I heard Lady Jane I only appreciated it becaus Its a Mika song, I didn't really like it. So I went back on to his site onceand actually listened to the lyrics, and I began to cry. It's such a beautifully painful story and I absolutely love it. It's a horribly sick fairy tale but at the same time has such an undertone of reality to it that most anyone can relate to it.

Lonely alcoholic I loved from the very first note I heard. I thought it was a little different from the usual Mika and yet more Mika than we usually get. Very straight foward and sing-a-long-able. He knows how to get a tune in your head. He knows how to make himself unforgetable.

I think this whole project is just a little experiment for himself, he's not doing this for us or anyone else, it's something personal to him and our praises are just an added bonus and his work just benefits us.

I love everything he does because I love him and I'll support him no matter what he does. I'm happy for him no matter the outcome ♥♥♥

[Christine]

The lyrics are like his music. They seem simple and obvious, but there's more going on than is immediately apparent.

 

I don't find the lyrics simple and obvious, I find them ugly and awkward in too many places. Ugly and awkward is not good poetry IMO and makes for even worse music.

 

I think it's pretty obvious that it's about his childhood as an artist and that as an artist he's reaching adolescence. He'll keep growing and maturing in his art and come into his own as an adult eventually...maybe

 

From what I understood he said that he was writing songs based on the way he felt at 16 or 17. I think it's a stretch to interpret it as his way of saying he is reaching adolescence as an artist.

 

I mean doesn't that go without saying anyway? No one expects he's fully developed on his debut album.

 

Thirdly, I do believe that most MFCers have already seen the ability to write songs like Toy Boy or Lady Jane early in his career... (Do not forget that Over my Shoulder was released on LICM)

 

Therefore, I personally believe that there will be very few fans leaving him, with the exception of people who were only into his pictures and have grown up a bit.

 

I wasn't referring to MFCers, but the 5 million other fans. And I'm pretty sure most of them did not have any interest in Over My Shoulder either. It was a constant criticism in reviews of his early shows and it didn't take him long to drop it from his set.

[Fmbm]

Am I the only one in love with "Lonely Alcoholic"?

I think it's genius.

[Christine]

Am I the only one in love with "Lonely Alcoholic"?

I think it's genius.

 

Yeah I don't know about genius, but I do like his voice.

[Kata]

Am I the only one in love with "Lonely Alcoholic"?

I think it's genius.

 

No you're not In fact I think I'm the only one who is not in love with it

I'm probably just not clever enough to understand the deeper meaning, cause no matter how I turn those lyrics they are pretty simple and pretty lame to me

[Fmbm]

No you're not In fact I think I'm the only one who is not in love with it

I'm probably just not clever enough to understand the deeper meaning, cause no matter how I turn those lyrics they are pretty simple and pretty lame to me

 

I like the simplicity of it though. It's just a nice little tune with honest lyrics. Plus, I'm a sucker for songs of just him and the piano

[Fmbm]

Yeah I don't know about genius, but I do like his voice.

 

He plays the same four chords (with the exception of the key change) throughout the whole song, yet it's not boring. (Well, in my opinion.)

That's a genius

[sienna]

I like the simplicity of it though. It's just a nice little tune with honest lyrics. Plus, I'm a sucker for songs of just him and the piano

 

Mmmm, piano!

[Kata]

I like the simplicity of it though. It's just a nice little tune with honest lyrics. Plus, I'm a sucker for songs of just him and the piano

 

Honest? Actually my problem with these lyrics is the lack of honesty What was the word Christine used? awkward?

[Fmbm]

Honest? Actually my problem with these lyrics is the lack of honesty What was the word Christine used? awkward?

 

I think "Lady Jane" is more awkward-sounding...

[melgo]

it's amazing how absolutely various opinions are over these new songs. never been SO different before.

 

This is so true!!

[Kata]

I think "Lady Jane" is more awkward-sounding...

 

Yeah but at least they don't pretend to have anything to do with anything... apart from a fish

[suzie]

The problem is with the timing, as it should have been released last year and not as a runup to a new album. The press and most fans are going to view this EP as a comeback of sorts and be misled into thinking that this is some strange new direction Mika has taken with his music.

Honestly if I had heard Lady Jane and Lonely Alcoholic on Mikasounds without hearing Blame it on the Girls, etc. at the secret gig and watching clips on his new music vlog - I would have freaked out.

 

I am not afraid of that at all, since the EP is released for FANS ONLY and the press in general will not much show interest in an EP that is not on the shelves in stores.

However, I do believe that this release will, at the same time, serve the purpose of showing the press what he is capable of... :thumb_yello:To me it is perfect timing and he is doing it the right way - I am so amazed:blush-anim-cl: - ..like showing both the EP as well as songs from the new album to the press and taking time to talk to them... I can't imagine anyone who can resist him charm:mf_lustslow:

 

 

I wasn't referring to MFCers, but the 5 million other fans.....

... and I was not referring to your opinion