Miro Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/06/mika-boy-knew-too-much Mika: The Boy Who Knew Too Much(Island) (ETA: 3 out of 5 Stars) Peter Robinson The Observer, Sunday 6 September 2009 Article history Mika sold 5 million copies of his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, a collection of stylishly infantile, jazz hands-friendly pop tunes which established the charismatic 23-year-old as a very carefully stage managed Serious New Talent. The timing was perfect: this eager-to-please performer appeared at the precise moment Robbie Williams released Rudebox. Now Mika is a little older, childhood is left behind and The Boy Who Knew Too Much, he claims, is his "adolescent" album. He says it captures his life at the age of 18 and 19. If the age at which many go to university - or in Mika's case the Royal College of Music - is the point when the follies of teenage life are re-ordered into some semblance of adult life, The Boy Who Knew Too Much does indeed build on and perfect the persona of its predecessor. While not very different at all, the tunes are marginally better, the production slightly bigger. The thunderous Rain is this album's Relax Take it Easy, for example, while Toy Boy is a grown-up nursery rhyme akin to Lollipop on the first album. Happily, Mika's penchant for the moronic is usually played down in favour of a confident delivery, meaning that the dressing-up box is left to one side in favour of some new, more subdued threads. For album three, which will presumably cover the post-graduation years and Mika's blossoming pop career, expect a fully-formed personality to complement the hooks and snappy, buoyant production. For the time being, The Boy Who Knew Too Much fails to truly connect because even on poignant songs such as Touches You and By The Time it's hard to pinpoint Mika's real identity. His serious moments are as hard to comprehend as a Chuckle Brother tackling a eulogy: you know he must feel emotion because he is a human being, but you are constantly expecting the arrival, stage right, of a pantomime cow. Edited September 6, 2009 by dcdeb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Simpson Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) Hmmmm- thanks for posting. This is obviously the weekend for reviews And it's a good one- I think. I think he is a bit reticent Edited September 5, 2009 by Soaring Simpson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 yep- definitely a closet fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikalollipop_karla Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 thx for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari62 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 T4P Miro! well in order to appreciate more his songs you must get to "know" him and his life better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie13 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Thanks for posting x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beauty Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Nice one thanx for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracekelly85 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 T4P! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickadee Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 I'm sorry.... WHAT? What on earth did he mean? Is Mika supposed to be wearing his heart on his sleeve and be all earnest and serious for this guy to get it? It's a pop record for crying out loud. I'm really not sure what he was expecting:blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazGirl Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/06/mika-boy-knew-too-much Mika: The Boy Who Knew Too Much(Island) (ETA: 3 out of 5 Stars) Peter Robinson The Observer, Sunday 6 September 2009 Article history Mika sold 5 million copies of his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, a collection of stylishly infantile, jazz hands-friendly pop tunes which established the charismatic 23-year-old as a very carefully stage managed Serious New Talent. The timing was perfect: this eager-to-please performer appeared at the precise moment Robbie Williams released Rudebox. Now Mika is a little older, childhood is left behind and The Boy Who Knew Too Much, he claims, is his "adolescent" album. He says it captures his life at the age of 18 and 19. If the age at which many go to university - or in Mika's case the Royal College of Music - is the point when the follies of teenage life are re-ordered into some semblance of adult life, The Boy Who Knew Too Much does indeed build on and perfect the persona of its predecessor. While not very different at all, the tunes are marginally better, the production slightly bigger. The thunderous Rain is this album's Relax Take it Easy, for example, while Toy Boy is a grown-up nursery rhyme akin to Lollipop on the first album. Happily, Mika's penchant for the moronic is usually played down in favour of a confident delivery, meaning that the dressing-up box is left to one side in favour of some new, more subdued threads. For album three, which will presumably cover the post-graduation years and Mika's blossoming pop career, expect a fully-formed personality to complement the hooks and snappy, buoyant production. For the time being, The Boy Who Knew Too Much fails to truly connect because even on poignant songs such as Touches You and By The Time it's hard to pinpoint Mika's real identity. His serious moments are as hard to comprehend as a Chuckle Brother tackling a eulogy: you know he must feel emotion because he is a human being, but you are constantly expecting the arrival, stage right, of a pantomime cow. about the bold part - i never thought about that. I guess that's actually quite a clever way of putting it. Why give the album 3 out of stars because you don't know Mika's identity? It's not about knowing his identity it's about the feelings during teenage life! Blimey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mari62 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 about the bold part - i never thought about that. I guess that's actually quite a clever way of putting it. Why give the album 3 out of stars because you don't know Mika's identity? It's not about knowing his identity it's about the feelings during teenage life! Blimey. maybe the journalist doesn't relate to these songs at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiza Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 maybe the journalist doesn't relate to these songs at all i guess that he cant relate to the songs too. the last sentence of his article is so cold in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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