My Name Is Michael Holbrook - Mika's new album 2019

[Starlight]

1 hour ago, Irem Aytepe said:

 

I can listen Mika ofc, I have apple music account also youtube

but cd is diffrent, it stands on your table or somewhere and you see, its diffrent feeling i can't describe

 

 It has a certain meaning to hold it in your hands.  

[Irem Aytepe]

1 hour ago, Starlight said:

 It has a certain meaning to hold it in your hands.  

 

[Florine]

I'm a fan of Cd's and vinyls. It's a totally different thing to have CD's and music on the app like spotify or something !! it's something you can have with you, you can see or feel. It's authentic.

[kreacher]

2 minutes ago, Florine said:

I'm a fan of Cd's and vinyls. It's a totally different thing to have CD's and music on the app like spotify or something !! it's something you can have with you, you can see or feel. It's authentic.

 

I totally agree!  The sound is different on disc & i like to look at the CD jacket and absorb the artwork while i listen.

Plus, its hard for Mika to autograph an mp3 file 

[Florine]

2 minutes ago, kreacher said:

 

I totally agree!  The sound is different on disc & i like to look at the CD jacket and absorb the artwork while i listen.

Plus, its hard for Mika to autograph an mp3 file 

 

Yes it is 😂  Plus I love the jacket of the new one so it's a pleasure to have it in my room, it's always something to take a look at!

[Starlight]

12 minutes ago, kreacher said:

 

I totally agree!  The sound is different on disc & i like to look at the CD jacket and absorb the artwork while i listen.

Plus, its hard for Mika to autograph an mp3 file 

That's an important point you're making!

[ellie]

Not sure of anyone cares about the chart discussion  but the album is #184 on Billboard 200.

[We-Are-Golden]

On 10/12/2019 at 8:51 AM, Starlight said:

Oh my that's late... but at least you have it now!  

I also had a crack in the case... where did you order it? From the homepage?

 

At least I have it indeed  I did yes!

[giraffeandy]

Made a ranking of the songs from MNIMH according to the number of streams on Spotify:

Ice Cream	3 249 826
Tiny Love	1 282 468
Tomorrow	799 427
Sanremo	737 274
Dear Jealousy	604 054
Ready to Call This Love (Feat. Jack Savoretti)	472 492
Paloma	208 295
Platform Ballerinas	199 876
Cry	179 988
I Went to Hell Last Night	171 939
Stay High	152 435
Blue	146 693
Tiny Love Reprise	136 116

[lorenzopozzi.45]

My Name is Michael Holbrook is #1 in France (download) and #3 in France (physical copies)

[krysady]

11 hours ago, giraffeandy said:

Made a ranking of the songs from MNIMH according to the number of streams on Spotify:

Ice Cream	3 249 826
Tiny Love	1 282 468
Tomorrow	799 427
Sanremo	737 274
Dear Jealousy	604 054
Ready to Call This Love (Feat. Jack Savoretti)	472 492
Paloma	208 295
Platform Ballerinas	199 876
Cry	179 988
I Went to Hell Last Night	171 939
Stay High	152 435
Blue	146 693
Tiny Love Reprise	136 116

 

I suppose that this is only because Ice Cream have been released in May, long time before the rest of the songs, so people didn't really have other option to choose 

[giraffeandy]

1 hour ago, krysady said:

 

I suppose that this is only because Ice Cream have been released in May, long time before the rest of the songs, so people didn't really have other option to choose 

 

Of course, the same with the other singles... 

[ellie]

More charts

#30 on Canadian Billboard

#28 in Spain

[Florine]

I'm not really good in the charts things, so I'm asking you : Is it good ???

[NaoMika]

I can agree with this review in many aspects. Straightforward written with positive comments. 

 

 

My Name Is Michael Holbrook
by JC Alvarez
Monday Oct 14, 2019

 

https://boston.edgemedianetwork.com/entertainment///281584/_review_::_my_name_is_michael_holbrook

 

Pop...with a purpose.

Yes! Pop music can have a relevance; it doesn't have to always be about the sexy "thrusts" or the torture of "heartache" or the sound of the 808 drums. On his latest full-length album release, MIKA took some time — four years actually — to get the formula just right. The singer/songwriter has minimized the clutter, singling himself among artists and acts on today's pop spectrum by borrowing heavily from what's popular but also throwing in plenty of his own personality to really excite on the narrative.

 

MIKA has given the new album an appropriately autobiographical title. On "My Name Is Michael Holbrook," the setlist brightly features the strength of the artist's lyrical sense and especially his beautifully dynamic vocals. The new album continues to promote MIKA as an able lyricist and his musicality undoubtedly marks him among one of the most interesting musicians currently on the pop music spectrum. There are several influences floating around the album, which can't be denied.

 

Many of the tracks are reminiscent of Elton John's emotive ability, while others have a spectacularly Freddie Mercury like appeal (which he's often compared to). Fortunately on every effort MIKA is able to allow his own sound to filter through; the unobtrusive instrumentation and arrangements support his beautifully solid vocals. "Sanremo" is easily transportive, with its Nu-Disco wash and hip swing. It's just one of the more romantically-infused tracks; another is an ode to his own sister, "Paloma," which beautifully captures his affection for his sibling.

 

Uncompromisingly moving at many times, and heart-breaking at others, the album's setlist is perfectly constructed — almost playing out like a musical. MIKA exploits genres and styles that haven't been relevant in recent pop releases, there are jaunts into '60s-sounding riffs, while others are snapshots from Elton John's songbook, but everything sounds very MIKA, and authentically so. On the duet "Ready To Call This Love" featuring Jack Savoretti, the pair joyfully revel in a gloriously lush love song that has a significantly contemporary feel.

 

The track moves effortlessly into the up-tempo "Cry," which is much more reminiscent of '80s Euro-Pop, with its synth beats and wispy sound effects. "Platform Ballerinas" keeps the beat moving with its much deeper and hooky riffs. Its a powerfully affirming anthem and perhaps the most joyful in the bunch. "Ice Cream" is every bit the MIKA we've all come to know and love; the track has an eruptively sexy chorus that you just want to wrap your mouth around. If it wasn't fall, the track would have been a perfect song of the summer — it's fortunate for us climate change is a thing.

[ellie]

1 hour ago, NaoMika said:

The singer/songwriter has minimized the clutter, singling himself among artists and acts on today's pop spectrum by borrowing heavily from what's popular but also throwing in plenty of his own personality to really excite on the narrative.

 

I dont get this  Arent all artists borrowing from whats popular while also throwing in their personality? 

 

I agree with the rest, apart from the "able lyricist" part - the lyrics are the weakest part for me after more listenings 

 

[mellody]

12 hours ago, Florine said:

I'm not really good in the charts things, so I'm asking you : Is it good ???

 

For Germany, #30 would be awesome.  For Canada, I thought he might do better there... but Canada is huge, I think he's just popular in the French-speakkng areas.

About Spain, no idea if #28 is good there, I'd think so, but... @Mikasister what do you think?

 

2 hours ago, ellie said:

 

 

I agree with the rest, apart from the "able lyricist" part - the lyrics are the weakest part for me after more listenings 

 

 

It's funny, cause the more I listen to the lyrics, the more I get the feeling that they hint to even more personal and dark secrets than he has revealed in interviews. If lyrics both sound good and make me think about the meaning, I consider them good - and for me, that's certainly the case here. Hardly any of the songs give me the feeling that it's just Blah Blah. Maybe Ice Cream, but I like it nevertheless. And at first also "Sanremo" and "Cry", but I've changed my mind about these (although with Sanremo mostly because of the video).

"Celebrate" and "Talk about You" give me that feeling - that's why I never was happy about them being the main singles of the last 2 albums. At least this time he's promoting more than one song.

[Mikasister]

19 minutes ago, mellody said:

 

For Germany, #30 would be awesome.  For Canada, I thought he might do better there... but Canada is huge, I think he's just popular in the French-speakkng areas.

About Spain, no idea if #28 is good there, I'd think so, but... @Mikasister what do you think?

 

 

Considering that he does not make any promotion in Spain I  can say that it is not bad. I hope he reaches better positions when he comes to do the concerts and maybe some promo. 

 

I barely hear his songs here, besides Ice cream in a few radios, but nothing from the other singles. It's so strange because there are very good songs that are ideal to be played on the radio.

There's something in Mika I just did not understand. I do not know if it is the record label, the management or he who does not just fit into today's musical world.

I'm thinking for example in Adele, she "breathes" releases a new album and it sounds everywhere. All her songs are on the radios day after day. Her videos are seen everywhere, at least in Spain, even wins lots of Grammys   and I wonder, are her songs better than Mika's songs?  I dont think so. 

This is reality, something I will never understand. Mika has very, very good songs and in Spain he has many fans but there is some mechanism that fails and I don't think it's just the lack of promotion.
 

[mellody]

57 minutes ago, Mikasister said:

 

Considering that he does not make any promotion in Spain I  can say that it is not bad. I hope he reaches better positions when he comes to do the concerts and maybe some promo. 

 

I barely hear his songs here, besides Ice cream in a few radios, but nothing from the other singles. It's so strange because there are very good songs that are ideal to be played on the radio.

There's something in Mika I just did not understand. I do not know if it is the record label, the management or he who does not just fit into today's musical world.

I'm thinking for example in Adele, she "breathes" releases a new album and it sounds everywhere. All her songs are on the radios day after day. Her videos are seen everywhere, at least in Spain, even wins lots of Grammys   and I wonder, are her songs better than Mika's songs?  I dont think so. 

This is reality, something I will never understand. Mika has very, very good songs and in Spain he has many fans but there is some mechanism that fails and I don't think it's just the lack of promotion.
 

 

Well, same for Germany. 🙄 Although here it's even less than in Spain. I suppose to be successful in this business, and I mean really successful, not just being able to earn your money with it, which is already quite good, you need to accept the industry and get along well with the important people. Which in most cases I think is doing what they want. Sure, stars like Adele can probably make their own rules meanwhile, it'd be too expensive for the record labels to lose her. This isn't the case with Mika. And he doesn't want to do what the industry people want from him. To become a big star, you need to be a brand, with everything that comes with it. And that is why we love him, he doesn't fit in, and doesn't try to. Although I think in the last few years he tried a few times, with songs like Celebrate, with the duet with Ariana Grande, stuff like that. It didn't help him though. And so I'm glad he's back to doing what he wants now. "No more assholes." And he looks a lot happier as well these days, despite all of his worries about his mum etc..

[ellie]

52 minutes ago, mellody said:

It's funny, cause the more I listen to the lyrics, the more I get the feeling that they hint to even more personal and dark secrets than he has revealed in interviews. If lyrics both sound good and make me think about the meaning, I consider them good - and for me, that's certainly the case here. Hardly any of the songs give me the feeling that it's just Blah Blah. Maybe Ice Cream, but I like it nevertheless. And at first also "Sanremo" and "Cry", but I've changed my mind about these (although with Sanremo mostly because of the video).

"Celebrate" and "Talk about You" give me that feeling - that's why I never was happy about them being the main singles of the last 2 albums. At least this time he's promoting more than one song

 

Oh I definitely didnt mean to say that I considered the lyrics meaningless but some stuff do sound jarring or childish to me ( Platform Ballerinas, Stay High ), Paloma is way too on the nose - i just cant really listen to it  and also some songs feel too undercooked/ still at the concept phase ( like you said, I dont really hear the story behind Sanremo in the actual lyrics or with Tomorrow for example, the italian version sounds more like what I wouldve expected the song to be like from his description ). Actually, yeah I do get the feeling that he wanted to say more than he is revealing in interviews, but also he didnt really put his stories in the lyrics either.

 

I think Ice Cream is pretty cleverly written for what it is, moreso than Celebrate or Talk abou you.

[krysady]

7 hours ago, NaoMika said:

If it wasn't fall, the track would have been a perfect song of the summer

Well, the song was released in May actually, and never became a summer hit 

 

53 minutes ago, ellie said:

I think Ice Cream is pretty cleverly written for what it is

Yes, if you can get over the fact that you can hear this kind of innuendo all the time among the kids in the middle school : "I want your ice cream", "I want your cookie", etc 

[Marika]

Today for the first time I read the lyrics in his booklet, coming with the CD. Even though my English is not that good, I was shocked by the typos and grammatical mistakes! Especially in I went to hell last night. Sometimes it's written as God and sometimes as god. One sentence 'Wwhen your dark and your sad.' Double w in when and constant your instead of you're. This also comes back in platform ballerinas. And in cry a whole sentence was on the wrong place. 

 

Did anyone else see this too? Who wrote these lyrics in the booklet of the CD? 

[ellie]

28 minutes ago, krysady said:

Yes, if you can get over the fact that you can hear this kind of innuendo all the time among the kids in the middle school : "I want your ice cream", "I want your cookie", etc 

 

Even younger than middle school

 

 

I was talking more about the verses though, 'I want your ice cream' isnt the greatest hook

[krysady]

9 minutes ago, Marika said:

Did anyone else see this too? Who wrote these lyrics in the booklet of the CD?

Yes, many people are complaining about that on Twitter, I really don't get why they ignored this issue... after all it's an elementary step to check the text before get printed.

[giraffeandy]

21 minutes ago, Marika said:

Today for the first time I read the lyrics in his booklet, coming with the CD. Even though my English is not that good, I was shocked by the typos and grammatical mistakes! Especially in I went to hell last night. Sometimes it's written as God and sometimes as god. One sentence 'Wwhen your dark and your sad.' Double w in when and constant your instead of you're. This also comes back in platform ballerinas. And in cry a whole sentence was on the wrong place. 

 

Did anyone else see this too? Who wrote these lyrics in the booklet of the CD? 

 

6 minutes ago, krysady said:

Yes, many people are complaining about that on Twitter, I really don't get why they ignored this issue... after all it's an elementary step to check the text before get printed.

 

Also the outro of Paloma is missing in the booklet and Tiny Love Reprise is completely wrong, especially the part of Mika's mum, the whole verse is different... Sometimes it's only one word but still, it changes the meaning a lot. I'm also very disappointed by the booklet this time to be honest, it seems like it was made in a rush even though they had quite a lot of time to do it better...  Also there aren't any pics, I was bit surprised by that as I was used that Mika's booklets always had beautiful artworks even when the lyrics were missing there.