Mika The Origin Of Love - BBC REVIEW 04-10-2012

[krjsantos]

BBC Review

 

The Brit winner’s third album features an array of ace tracks.

Tom Hocknell 2012-10-04

 

A Brit Award-winning one-man Scissor Sisters, Mika returns in a less-than-autobiographical mood for this third album. And he’s brought plenty of collaborators with him: Pharrell Williams shows up on Celebrate, Empire of the Sun’s Nick Littlemore writes and produces, and there are credits for Benny Benassi and JLS/Westlife songwriter Wayne Hector.

 

The Origin of Love starts with a superb title track. It’s a ringer for a lost ABBA A side, Mika channelling his inner Freddie Mercury over a lovely groove set atop reflective electro-pop. It’s the perfect start, and refreshingly free of the singer’s familiar theatrics.

 

Mika’s excitable nature does eventually shine through – leading to moments where the listener might wish he’d laid off the energy drinks a little. His hyperactivity lends The Origin of Love a compilation-like quality – this leaps around as much, stylistically and consistency wise, as a NOW collection.

 

It’s genuinely all over the place. Make You Happy, a bouncing but mildly irritating number, precedes the sublime Underwater. Lola is similarly sweet, whereas Kids recalls the West Coast rock of the 1970s, with soft-focus piano work and a heartfelt vocal.

 

Love You When I’m Drunk addresses a similar subject to Pet Shop Boys’ You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You’re Drunk, albeit slightly less effectively, and via Buggles. Overrated is appropriately titled, while missteps like the puerile pop of Step With Me and the gym-friendly Emily do little to justify their inclusions.

 

But Mika knows when to pull out an ace. The Robbie Williams-recalling confessional Popular Song is charmingly cheesy, while Heroes returns to the elegance of the opening track. The candy shop finally closes with the buffed-pop of Celebrate, an Empire of the Sun-influenced single perfect for an Indian summer.

 

If Mika had refined this into a 10-track collection, trimming the cuts that don’t quite click, we’d have an excellent album on our hands. As it is, The Origin of Love is stretched slightly too long – but he’s clearly had a romp making it, and importantly that shows.

 

Link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/xcq4

 

 

Hey mods, if find inappropriate this open thread, wrong place, etc [i'm confused with so much information these days] please remove

[robertina]

it's ok, as a BBC review needs its thread

 

I totally agree, being not a huge fan of Step with me and Emily myself

 

I think it's a very good review, as far as the UK is concerned and I hope we can see even better ones. Think pink.

[krjsantos]

it's ok, as a BBC review needs its thread

 

I totally agree, being not a huge fan of Step with me and Emily myself

 

I think it's a very good review, as far as the UK is concerned and I hope we can see even better ones. Think pink.

 

 

Think pink too

[AnnaMariaPetra]

Never heard of this song from the PetShopBoys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLd0wIU7pBA

 

Even tho I like their music.

 

But the similarity in titles is errrm....

[AnnaMariaPetra]

Review is okay, but the thing bothering me is: why does every song have to be compared to another artist/song?

Like Mika is a copycat:blink:

[Menthe]

Perhaps it's too difficult to describe it otherwise.

I quite agree with him: my favorites are OOL (I never get bored by this song!), Underwater and Heroes. I hope that more people in UK will read these positive reviews and give him a try. I just can't understand the succes of Cheryle Cole for exemple, her new singles are just so boringly mainstream without any identity.

[RAK1]

Perhaps it's too difficult to describe it otherwise.

I quite agree with him: my favorites are OOL (I never get bored by this song!), Underwater and Heroes. I hope that more people in UK will read these positive reviews and give him a try. I just can't understand the succes of Cheryle Cole for exemple, her new singles are just so boringly mainstream without any identity.

 

The problem with the UK today is that it has bought into the bland souless X Factor mentality. It thinks pop music should be like that, and it's only artists like Mika who can shake it up and show them what pop should be like. Problem being the UK record buying public on the whole, seem to not like anything that goes outside that box, which is a shame as they are missing some awesome music.[/size

[Menthe]

The problem with the UK today is that it has bought into the bland souless X Factor mentality. It thinks pop music should be like that, and it's only artists like Mika who can shake it up and show them what pop should be like. Problem being the UK record buying public on the whole, seem to not like anything that goes outside that box, which is a shame as they are missing some awesome music.[/size

 

Yes, that is true in many other countries also, but a really good song is always appreciated and that's why the public should be able to listen to it on the radio. I don't know what WE can do if the british radios don't want to play Celebrate and other fothcoming singles.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Review is okay, but the thing bothering me is: why does every song have to be compared to another artist/song?

Like Mika is a copycat:blink:

I agree, and I'm so sick of this Freddie Mercury thing always coming up. Mika is unique!!

[nas]

Review is okay, but the thing bothering me is: why does every song have to be compared to another artist/song?

Like Mika is a copycat:blink:

 

yup. i'm glad the reviewer liked the album overall, but seriously?! it's as if he felt he had to check all the usual boxes of who mika has been compared to - scissor sisters, freddie, robbie...wtf....it's incredibly annoying and doesn't say much for the reviewer or the credit he gives to his readers

[basicamenteyo]

I think no harm is intended when reviews compare him to other artists/songs. If I want people to understand how a song sounds I would also mention other song/artist. But just to make sure people understand what I mean...

[MikaMadLuke]

I think no harm is intended when reviews compare him to other artists/songs. If I want people to understand how a song sounds I would also mention other song/artist. But just to make sure people understand what I mean...

 

Same here!

 

I agree, and I'm so sick of this Freddie Mercury thing always coming up. Mika is unique!!

 

Mika started it..

[Marilyn Mastin]

The problem with the UK today is that it has bought into the bland souless X Factor mentality. It thinks pop music should be like that, and it's only artists like Mika who can shake it up and show them what pop should be like. Problem being the UK record buying public on the whole, seem to not like anything that goes outside that box, which is a shame as they are missing some awesome music.[/size

But we can't blame the British public. They only buy what they hear. If the top radio station in the UK, namely Radio One, won't play Mika's songs, people don't know about them. Most of them are probably too lazy to seek out the good stuff, so they'll make do with what's readily available

It was the same in the USA, but they seem to be waking up to Mika. I think success in the USA would make UK radio take notice, as anyone who makes it in the USA is always iconised in the UK. They don't care if someone is big in France, Korea, Outer Mongolia, Japan or China. In fact, they make fun of popstars who are, because they think any guy with cheesy popsongs is going to do well in the Middle East. In other words, they think the Middle East has no taste. As for France, well they think it's just because he speaks French that he's liked over there, and after all, they think all Mainland Europe is good for, is putting their cheesiest songs into Eurovision.

But there are also very influencial people in the UK, and mostly connected to X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Simon Cowell is one such person, and Gary Barlow has become another one. In fact GB is alwyays called upon to put together special concerts, like for The Olympics, and the annual Children In Need Appeal. Mika has appeared once, a few years ago at the CIN annual concert. He only got to sing one song, whilst most of the others sang two.

These days, you can be sure Gary will choose Cheryl Cole, who is absolutely awful when she's not allowed to mime. He always chooses Robbie Williams too, even when Robbie has no single or album out. But he used to be in Take That with Gary, so he can't be left out, can he!

People like One Direction or JLS are good enough, but their success is because they don't have to disappear to write songs. Their songs are all written for them. Cheryl Cole is the same. She probably can't tell a crotchet from a quaver, but she doesn't have to. Others write for her so she always has a new single or album at number one. Though she doesn't deserve it.

It really gets me down, and truly talented people like Mika get swept away like rubbish while people with less talent, or none at all, are ruling the airwaves and the pop charts. I hope it doesn't stay this way.

Edited October 5, 2012 by Marilyn Mastin

[RayaBadran]

But we can't blame the British public. They only buy what they hear. If the top radio station in the UK, namely Radio One, won't play Mika's songs, people don't know about them. Most of them are probably too lazy to seek out the good stuff, so they'll make do with what's readily available

It was the same in the USA, but they seem to be waking up to Mika. I think success in the USA would make UK radio take notice, as anyone who makes it in the USA is always iconised in the UK. They don't care if someone is big in France, Korea, Outer Mongolia, Japan or China. In fact, they make fun of popstars who are, because they think any guy with cheesy popsongs is going to do well in the Middle East. In other words, they think the Middle East has no taste. As for France, well they think it's just because he speaks French that he's liked over there, and after all, they think all Mainland Europe is good for, is putting their cheesiest songs into Eurovision.

But there are also very influencial people in the UK, and mostly connected to X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Simon Cowell is one such person, and Gary Barlow has become another one. In fact GB is alwyays called upon to put together special concerts, like for The Olympics, and the annual Children In Need Appeal. Mika has appeared once, a few years ago at the CIN annual concert. He only got to sing one song, whilst most of the others sang two.

These days, you can be sure Gary will choose Cheryl Cole, who is absolutely awful when she's not allowed to mime. He always chooses Robbie Williams too, even when Robbie has no single or album out. But he used to be in Take That with Gary, so he can't be left out, can he!

People like One Direction or JLS are good enough, but their success is because they don't have to disappear to write songs. Their songs are all written for them. Cheryl Cole is the same. She probably can't tell a crotchet from a quaver, but she doesn't have to. Others write for her so she always has a new single or album at number one. Though she doesn't deserve it.

It really gets me down, and truly talented people like Mika get swept away like rubbish while people with less talent, or none at all, are ruling the airwaves and the pop charts. I hope it doesn't stay this way.

 

Wow, I love this. You got the words out of my mouth But I want to add too: Simon Cowell puts so much ****MONEY*** to radios to play his beautiful One Direction (as he calls them) or whatever group or person he discovers on X Factor. That's cheating. Everything is commercial in HIS world and music is all about business. That's why Mika can't be MORE on the radio and more popular. He is honest... Here's Madonna with her last album: it sucked didn't it? But how many times have I heard Girl Gone Wild or Give Me All Your Luvin' or all of her newest songs... Because she payed the radios to play them over and over. That's the new concept of music now, nothing's about how good or bad it is... It's only about the money (imo).

Edited October 5, 2012 by RayaBadran

[Yuna]

But we can't blame the British public. They only buy what they hear. If the top radio station in the UK, namely Radio One, won't play Mika's songs, people don't know about them. Most of them are probably too lazy to seek out the good stuff, so they'll make do with what's readily available

It was the same in the USA, but they seem to be waking up to Mika. I think success in the USA would make UK radio take notice, as anyone who makes it in the USA is always iconised in the UK. They don't care if someone is big in France, Korea, Outer Mongolia, Japan or China. In fact, they make fun of popstars who are, because they think any guy with cheesy popsongs is going to do well in the Middle East. In other words, they think the Middle East has no taste. As for France, well they think it's just because he speaks French that he's liked over there, and after all, they think all Mainland Europe is good for, is putting their cheesiest songs into Eurovision.

But there are also very influencial people in the UK, and mostly connected to X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Simon Cowell is one such person, and Gary Barlow has become another one. In fact GB is alwyays called upon to put together special concerts, like for The Olympics, and the annual Children In Need Appeal. Mika has appeared once, a few years ago at the CIN annual concert. He only got to sing one song, whilst most of the others sang two.

These days, you can be sure Gary will choose Cheryl Cole, who is absolutely awful when she's not allowed to mime. He always chooses Robbie Williams too, even when Robbie has no single or album out. But he used to be in Take That with Gary, so he can't be left out, can he!

People like One Direction or JLS are good enough, but their success is because they don't have to disappear to write songs. Their songs are all written for them. Cheryl Cole is the same. She probably can't tell a crotchet from a quaver, but she doesn't have to. Others write for her so she always has a new single or album at number one. Though she doesn't deserve it.

It really gets me down, and truly talented people like Mika get swept away like rubbish while people with less talent, or none at all, are ruling the airwaves and the pop charts. I hope it doesn't stay this way.

 

1 question for you - and british ppl ?

What's the definition of 'Cheesy songs' ? which kind of songs you call them 'cheesy'?

[Marilyn Mastin]

1 question for you - and british ppl ?

What's the definition of 'Cheesy songs' ? which kind of songs you call them 'cheesy'?

Well it's a bit hard to explain. But a lot of people in the UK, have thought Mika's songs were cheesy. Though I never thought they were.

Cheesy pop might be a song that has a lot of things like "Oh baby I love you. I love you baby", types of lines. some Mika fans thought Blame It On The Weather a bit cheesy "Hear my song, it won't last too long." That is a cheesy line unfortunately as the rhyme is too predictable. This is why I don't like Pharell's bit in Celebrate "Have fun! We've just begun!" Too predictable, where as the metaphoric China Boy verse, is really beautiful and a great way to describe a broken heart.

Musically, I don't have the experience to comment on it much, but it's when the tune is too easy, to uncomplicated and doesn't go anywhere.

But someone else could probably explain better than me. But basically, most Eurovision songs are considered cheesy.