Critic reviews of The Origin Of Love

[Soaring Simpson]

I like this one. It's nice to read a positive review from someone who haven't even heard about Mika before

 

... While comparisons to Mercury are obvious in listening to him sing, his voice is a lot thinner. He’s not going to belt out the showstoppers like a Lady Gaga. Mika manages to accommodate this in his songs. Sometimes through electronic trickery, like the chorus effect on opener “Origin of Love”, but mostly by sticking to relatively low key material that doesn’t demand a bigger personality than he can provide.

 

...“Polite” is a good way to summarize the album, and I mean that as a compliment. There’s an innocence to this album that a lot of stuff doesn’t have these days. So much pop mires itself in an ugly, base sexuality that I find horribly off-putting. Even when singing about flings, like “Love You When I’m Drunk”, it’s still cute and harmless. It’s also perfect pop confection. If you don’t own this you’re wrong.[/i]

 

A good review's a good review, but... but.. Mika's got a great voice and an absolutely HUGE personality

 

And he's gonna hate the bit about being harmless

[chickadee]

A good review's a good review, but... but.. Mika's got a great voice and an absolutely HUGE personality

 

And he's gonna hate the bit about being harmless

 

Yeah, I kind of smirked to myself when I read the line about personality.

[chickadee]

This thing about female singers dominating right now is so true but you'd think it would really work to Mika's advantage to be something different. Now that everyone is using autotune I can't even tell these women apart. Even the ones I really like like Kelly Clarkson and Jessie J.

 

I don't understand the use of autotune, tbh. If you can't hit the notes correctly, you shouldn't be getting paid to sing. Or am I missing something here?

[MikaMadLuke]

I don't understand the use of autotune, tbh. If you can't hit the notes correctly, you shouldn't be getting paid to sing. Or am I missing something here?

 

I don't think it's that Kelly Clarkson for example can't hit the notes it's that the whole "auto tune" sound is popular now so the add it in as if it we an instrument.

[chickadee]

I don't think it's that Kelly Clarkson for example can't hit the notes it's that the whole "auto tune" sound is popular now so the add it in as if it we an instrument.

 

Ah, I see. Well, it isn't popular with me! I hated it when Cher used it way back when and it's never grown on me.

[suzie]

After all, every critic is approaching it from his own perspective, with his own biases and musical tastes.

I would not necessarily call them critics, not by my term, anyway. Most of them are just bloggers - something anyone with time on their hand can do

I really liked this one though:

 

http://dailytrojan.com/2012/10/17/mika-explores-complex-love-on-origin/

[chickadee]

I would not necessarily call them critics, not by my term, anyway. Most of them are just bloggers - something anyone with time on their hand can do

I really liked this one though:

 

The thread is called Critic reviews of TOOL so... I was just going with what somebody else already designated them.

[suzie]

The thread is called Critic reviews of TOOL so... I was just going with what somebody else already designated them.

 

yes, that is the right place for them, the other thread for reviews is MFCers reviews. I just pointed out that some of these reviews are more like 'voice of the people' rather than professional assessments.

[A. Clay]

Thanks Marie for posting here and . . .

 

Mika fans please participate in this poll that Radio Creme Brulee is currently running :

http://www.mikafanclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3841805&postcount=1624

 

. . . AND watch their website:

http://www.radiocremebrulee.com/

 

They've promised to post MIKA's 'UNDERWATER' video

there tomorrow.

Edited November 25, 2012 by A. Clay

[A. Clay]

As promised,

MIKA 's 'UNDERWATER' Music Video is now posted here : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Radio-Creme-Brulee/89215179548 …

You can 'like' & comment.

[DerMoment1608]

Nice review from a blogger:

 

http://musicsoundslikethis.blogspot.de/2012/11/mika-origin-of-love.html

 

Mika - The Origin Of Love

 

Three years ago, Mika released his sophomore album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much. Looking back on the recording process, Mika has stated that it wasn't a pleasant experience. He expressed that the general mood was less than desirable, mainly due to being overly encompassed by the music. This time around, Mika ran in the opposite direction. He surrounded himself with like-minded people; musicians, collaborators, a support team. The result is almost a rediscovery of character, an image reassessment. I don't want to say it's a return to some former glory, because the downfall of Mika never happened. The Origin Of Love is, however, an album of significance.

 

The title track is placed at the front of the album, immediately setting the record's theme. The majority of this album is still dripping with that signature "Mika" sound. He hasn't necessarily stepped away from what kickstarted his career in the first place. It's just that, for the most part, this album is the introduction to a changed and more mature Mika. Both Life In Cartoon Motion and The Boy Who Knew Too Much featured incredibly mature tracks, but from the artwork to the musical decisions, The Origin Of Love is a step forward into a new chapter of Mika's sound.

 

As one could guess, love is the common factor between these songs. Falling in love, falling out of love, relationships in general, it reaches almost every inch of the topic. I'm reminded of Patrick Wolf's Lupercalia record. Prior to its release, Patrick had written both childish love songs and significantly darker material as well, but he hadn't created an album so focused and determined on the topic of love. When he finally did release Lupercalia, it was brilliant. Mika is in a somewhat similar boat and The Origin Of Love contains some of his greatest accomplishments yet.

 

"Lola" is a prime example of simple yet effective pop. It showcases Mika's falsetto in a way that's drastically different from past songs such as "Lollipop". It's one of the less electronic tracks on the album, constructed of organic sounds. Some of the songs that are more dance oriented succeed just as well. "Emily", the English version of "Elle me dit", is fantastic and so is the lead promotional track "Make You Happy".

 

While The Origin Of Love is consistent in idea, it's across the map in genre. Overall, I would call it pop, but pop is probably the broadest label one could give music. The chorus of "Step With Me" calls back to the stylings of 90's and early '00's UK radio hits. The piano intro to "Underwater" sounds strikingly similar to "Set Fire To The Rain" by Adele, but manages to shed that thought by the time it's over. "Popular Song" and "Celebrate" might've already been hit singles if they had been released by a big brand name. "Love You When I'm Drunk" is really the only song that ventures too close towards the border of awkwardness, and that's due to the relentless repetition of the title line.

 

Mika's first two albums had a distinct kitschy touch to them. I feel like he became pegged into that box by audiences based on the success of his singles. I shouldn't discredit those albums They deserve great praise, but The Origin Of Love sounds like the growth of an artist. Mika hasn't recreated "Grace Kelly" or played towards a familiar formula. You can be a serious musician and still play with outrageous dance music, you just need to be sincere about it. Don't stop halfway through the door, jump all the way in.

[krjsantos]

A brief review about Mika and The Origin Of Love of a famous journalist Zeca Camargo (writer, journalist and host tv) who works on Globo Tv, the most famous channel "open" in Brazil:

 

"And the best album of 2012 you did not hear it ... Well ... "The origin of love," Mika. I can not count how many times I praise Mika here in this space - and even this list of year end ("The boy who knew too much" came in 2009, with honors). But what can I do? Nobody - absolutely nobody! - Has the gift to conceive as perfect a pop song in the current scenario as Mika. If I were Lady Gaga, do an internship with him, to recharge for the next record. And Elton John could well be excited to do a duets album with Mika ... Anyway, no words will convince you better than the disc itself. Listen to "The origin of love", and in between happy 2013!"

http://g1.globo.com/platb/zecacamargo/2012/12/13/os-20-1-melhores-discos-que-voce-nao-ouviu-em-2012/

 

 

Just as a complement: Zeca always mentions Mika in some musical review, and all the cds were chosen as the best in the year (LICM, TBWKTM)

Edited December 18, 2012 by krjsantos
SORRY I FORGOT LINK

[cathouzouf]

A brief review about Mika and The Origin Of Love of a famous journalist Zeca Camargo (writer, journalist and host tv) who works on Globo Tv, the most famous channel "open" in Brazil:

 

"And the best album of 2012 you did not hear it ... Well ... "The origin of love," Mika. I can not count how many times I praise Mika here in this space - and even this list of year end ("The boy who knew too much" came in 2009, with honors). But what can I do? Nobody - absolutely nobody! - Has the gift to conceive as perfect a pop song in the current scenario as Mika. If I were Lady Gaga, do an internship with him, to recharge for the next record. And Elton John could well be excited to do a duets album with Mika ... Anyway, no words will convince you better than the disc itself. Listen to "The origin of love", and in between happy 2013!"

http://g1.globo.com/platb/zecacamargo/2012/12/13/os-20-1-melhores-discos-que-voce-nao-ouviu-em-2012/

 

 

Just as a complement: Zeca always mentions Mika in some musical review, and all the cds were chosen as the best in the year (LICM, TBWKTM)

 

Quite nice! Thanks for posting:thumb_yello:

[Julia Welcomes]

A brief review about Mika and The Origin Of Love of a famous journalist Zeca Camargo (writer, journalist and host tv) who works on Globo Tv, the most famous channel "open" in Brazil:

 

[B]"... And Elton John could well be excited to do a duets album with Mika ... \"[/b]

http://g1.globo.com/platb/zecacamargo/2012/12/13/os-20-1-melhores-discos-que-voce-nao-ouviu-em-2012/

 

 

Mmm... I don`t think EJ will ever do that, sadly for Sir Elton:wink2: