IngievV Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 (edited) "I can be hurtful I can be purple I can be anything you like" sang Mika on his breakthrough hit Grace Kelly, but if you're looking for him to be anything except more of the same on his second album you're going to be a little disappointed. Mika is an interesting character in the world of pop music. He writes some incredibly catchy and also some supremely annoying tunes (sometimes they're the same song). His first album, Life in Cartoon Motion should by all rights have flopped. A flamboyant, Lebanon born singer with a falsetto to rival Barry Gibb's peddling the lyrics "sucking to hard on your lollipop, oh love's gonna get you down" doesn't really fit anywhere into the charts. But on the back of Grace Kelly he topped charts internationally and sold six million copies of the subsequent album. He's now back with his second offering The Boy Who Knew Too Much, and it's more of the same. A style that I can only describe as 'pop-music pantomime'. The most obvious example of this is first single We Are Golden. An overblown production which as at once the best and worst thing on this album. Mika's voice yoyo's through the verses, hitting his mind-numbing falsetto without warning until the chorus kicks in, and as hard as you fight it, you'll find yourself humming along... and then looking around to make sure no one heard you doing so. Like so many of his tunes, it throws so many things that just shouldn't work together (including a wince-inducing pronounciation of the word 'golden'), but end up being more than the sum of their parts. Thankfully from here on it the uber-flamboyance is toned down a little, however I stress the 'little'. Second track and follow-up single Blame It On The Girls has been described by Mika as sounding like No Doubt - and as such he owes Gwen Stefani an apology. It coasts along on a throbbing drum and hand claps that will have you tapping your feet. The lyrics here, like much of the album, are disposable fluff, and you often get the impression that Mika is singing about himself. Rain starts in a nicely subdued manner, a welcome contrast to the first two tracks, but brings back that falsetto for the chorus. It's not unpleasant, and it's another clear example that Mika has a gift for finding a hook that worms its way into your brain and stays there. He's just not so adept at how to use it once he's got it. Dr John finds Mika channelling The Beatles (don't hate on me, I didn't say he succeeds). It swings away on a repetitive lyric and is not altogether unpleasant. I See You takes Mika completely out of his novelty act persona and into his 'I'm a serious artist' persona with a sincere love song. Mika's vocals are a little more reserved though the production isn't, despite having a more mature lean. And therein lies the biggest problem with Mika and the album as a whole. Subtlety is clearly not a word that is in Mika's vocabulary and after twelve songs that are all overblown to the extreme you have the urge to direct him to a dictionary to look it up. Good Gone Girl and Touches You are the sonic equivalent of a circus, all flashiness and fun but with no relation to reality at all. Toy Boy follows on from the first album's Billy Brown with its homosexual themes. When Mika is singing lyrics such as "but your momma thought there was something wrong/ didn't want you sleeping with a boy too long/ it's a serious thing in a grown-up world/ maybe you'd be better with a barbie girl" it's no wonder that his sexuality has been questioned since his first single (it was only recently that he admitted to being bisexual). It's not easy to sum up this album. Musically it's a bit of a mess. Mika is like a kid in a candy store in his approach to his songs and needs to learn that sometimes too much really is too much. But despite that, the album is fun. If you hated his first one, this one is only going to make you hate him more. But if you can sit back and just let go without reading anything into it, you'll find an enjoyable album here and just like a bag of candy, it's a guilty pleasure. http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/24/article_8046.php Edited October 19, 2009 by IngievV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokwicket Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Hmmmmmm.......Good or bad?? Disposable fluff!! :roftl: T4P btw Ingie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FREDDIESDOUBLE Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 "Good Gone Girl and Touches You are the sonic equivalent of a circus, all flashiness and fun but with no relation to reality at all." Nooo wayyy Far far too strong for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzie Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I can't be bothered to comment... some people simply don't get him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FREDDIESDOUBLE Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I can't be bothered to comment... some people simply don't get him... That kinda sums it up for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiza Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I can't be bothered to comment... some people simply don't get him... i agree:aah: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaatje066 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 But despite that, the album is fun Even if the review is bad, they just can't slate him without feeling the need to say that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Considering it's come from a gay magazine I actually despise the use of the word 'admitted' when it talks about him being bisexual (supposedly). It's as though he's fessed up to some sort of crime and if the gay mags are treating it like that, no wonder there's so much taboo around the issue of sexuality when it's anything other than straight. Can you say double standards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokwicket Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Even if the review is bad, they just can't slate him without feeling the need to say that. It seems like they can't make their mind up if the album/Mika is good or bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I can't be bothered to comment... some people simply don't get him... So true! That kinda sums it up for me At first I took a deep breath and was going to say a lot of things but it's really not worth it! They just don't get him! Their bad! Considering it's come from a gay magazine I actually despise the use of the word 'admitted' when it talks about him being bisexual (supposedly). It's as though he's fessed up to some sort of crime and if the gay mags are treating it like that, no wonder there's so much taboo around the issue of sexuality when it's anything other than straight. Can you say double standards? Absolutely, that is what makes it so sad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Mastin Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Sounds like he likes it, but doesn't want to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Sounds like he likes it, but doesn't want to! Like so many . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodes100 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Thank you for posting Ingie! I think I will just accept his, "it's a guilty pleasure." I am being nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 (edited) Sounds like he likes it, but doesn't want to! Exactly what I was going to say! "and you often get the impression that Mika is singing about himself." But but but...I thought he was singing about ME! That he was inspired by MY life to write the lyrics! Edited October 19, 2009 by Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Exactly what I was going to say! "and you often get the impression that Mika is singing about himself." But but but...I thought he was singing about ME! That he was inspired by MY life to write the lyrics! Always knew you were a goldenblamingitonthegirlswhileitrainswithaguynameddrjohnwhenyouseemewithmyblueeyes goodgonegirltouchingmebythetimewe'redreamingwithaonefootboyandatoyboypickingupoffthefloorloverboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Always knew you were a goldenblamingitonthegirlswhileitrainswithaguynameddrjohnwhenyouseemewithmyblueeyesgoodgonegirltouchingmebythetimewe'redreamingwithaonefootboyandatoyboypickingupoffthefloorloverboy You know me so well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Yah duuh I've been stalking you for like ages:mf_rosetinted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kath Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I agree....................sounds very much as though this person just can't bear to admit that they like the album. And quite...............I object strongly to the 'admitting he is bisexual' bit:shocked: How bloody ridiculous:shocked: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika4Life13 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I dont agree with the disposable fluff or that mika's success rid on the back of grace kelly. More people I know, know about Relax, I think it was more of a success! But the wincing at his pronounciaton of golden is dead on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I dont agree with the disposable fluff or that mika's success rid on the back of grace kelly. More people I know, know about Relax, I think it was more of a success! But the wincing at his pronounciaton of golden is dead on Well I think it's just the fact that he's getting gradually more and more English the longer he's here. It's how most of us Essex gals say it. I suppose the rest of the world just isn't ready for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika4Life13 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Well I think it's just the fact that he's getting gradually more and more English the longer he's here. It's how most of us Essex gals say it. I suppose the rest of the world just isn't ready for it. Yeah but that golden sounds SO unnatural, and the first time I heard it I remember like being, WTF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Yeah but that golden sounds SO unnatural, and the first time I heard it I remember like being, WTF Believe me, it's the norm where I'm from. Except it wouldn't be GOOOOOWWWWLLLDENNN it'd be GOOOOOOWWWWLLLLD PLAAAATED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 I swear it sounds like: GAAAWWWLLDDEEEEEN:mf_rosetinted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riotnikki Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 And they thought he was too flamboyant? Excuse me? Someone else already said - they just don't get him. But that worries me. It worries me that I never hear him on the radio. And that my 22 year old niece didn't know who he was (I know she is a bit of a dingbat though). Could it be that he is not commercially viable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racinghorse83 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 its an article from new zealand i didnt post it because i thought it didnt say anything new.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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