Casablanca Records - Island UK

Mika's vivid, aptly named debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion, borrows and builds on the glittery, glamorous, and not-so-secretly sentimental musical territory carved out by Elton John and Freddie Mercury, or more recently, Rufus Wainwright and the Scissor Sisters. Fortunately, his name-dropping, shape-shifting pop is usually good, and genuine, enough to come across as eloquent homage rather than blatant thievery or a tired rehash. Mika's singles are his most charming moments, especially the instant sunshine of "Grace Kelly," which crams tap-dancing rhythms, filmic dialogue, Elton's pianos, Freddie's vocal harmonies, and Brian May's guitars into just over three minutes. "Relax (Take It Easy)" is in the same vein of hypnotic, danceable melancholy as the Scissor Sisters' reworking of "Comfortably Numb," albeit less showy, while "Billy Brown"'s brass arrangement, flowing melody, and soft-shoe rhythms give it the feel of an unusually witty show tune about pre-life crises and living in the closet. As Life in Cartoon Motion unfolds, it reveals more of Mika's musical identity, both for better and worse. His classical piano training gives the album an appealing fluidity, especially on "Any Other World," and lilting, Afro-pop-inspired guitars and harmonies pop up here and there, most effectively on "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)." However, while Life in Cartoon Motion has lots of enthusiasm and creativity, it doesn't have a lot of nuance. On songs like "Lollipop" and "Love Today," Mika straddles the line between adorable and annoying. And as the overly long, overwrought "Erase" shows, he also doesn't have quite the masterful touch with gentler songs that his influences possess. As admirable as Life in Cartoon Motion's eclecticism is, it could use more focus -- something that songs like the jaunty breakup song "Stuck in the Middle" and angry rocker "Ring Ring" suggest Mika is developing. While more restraint could've taken the album from good to great, its Technicolor, everything-at-once, borderline overdone feel makes it a fitting portrait of Mika as a young artist. © Heather Phares /TiVo

Making an album even more vibrant than Life in Cartoon Motion would have been difficult for Mika. On The Boy Who Knew Too Much, he doesn't try to top himself; instead, he reins in just enough of his debut's indulgent tendencies to let his gift for great melodies and hooks be the focus. His multifaceted pop sounds a little calmer and a lot more confident here -- rather than cramming songs with moments intended to impress that end up being overwhelming, "Dr. John"'s finger-popping minor fall and major lift and the calypso-tinged "Blue Eyes" actually are impressive because they're so direct. While Life in Cartoon Motion was remarkably engaging, occasionally it felt like Mika was more skilled at pastiche than presenting his own sound. Here, Mika and producer Greg Wells fashion songs that sound truly distinctive; though touches of inspirations and peers like Elton John, the Bee Gees, and the Scissor Sisters still pop up, the musician Mika borrows from most on The Boy Who Knew Too Much is himself. The album's opening trio of tracks nods to his debut's most vivid moments without copying them: "We Are Golden" is every bit as sunshiny as "Love Today"; "Blame It on the Girls" builds on "Grace Kelly"'s sleek style; and "Rain" is a kissing cousin to "Relax"'s pulsing, melancholy disco-pop. Mika tries a few different sounds on for size, most notably on "Toy Boy," a subversively sweet singsong that lies somewhere between Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart" and the Dresden Dolls' "Coin Operated Boy," and the torchy finale, "Pick Up Off the Floor." While ballads still aren't his forte, slower tracks like the Imogen Heap collaboration "By the Time" offer welcome breathing room from "One Foot Boy" and the album's other almost ridiculously catchy tracks. Anyone who liked Life in Cartoon Motion's bright, brash approach won't be disappointed by The Boy Who Knew Too Much -- it's clear Mika knows exactly what he's doing. © Heather Phares /TiVo

Mika has flirted with dance music and electronic sounds since Life in Cartoon Motion, but on The Origin of Love he commits to it in a much bigger way. This time, Mika worked with dance and pop producers such as Benny Benassi, Pharrell Williams, Klas Åhlund, and Empire of the Sun's Nick Littlemore, as well as his The Boy Who Knew Too Much collaborator Greg Wells, and a song from the album's writing sessions, "Gang Bang," even ended up on Madonna's MDNA album. However, bringing the dance elements to the fore doesn't really suit his music overall, and the largely electronic arrangements lack the warmth, charm, and variety of his two previous albums. Often, The Origin of Love ends up reaffirming why most dance hits don't have the kind of clever, intricate lyrics that are Mika's specialty, and at times it feels like the sounds surrounding his words and melodies are competing with them instead of supporting them. Even on his other albums, Mika's style walked a fine line between exuberant and grating, and with less nuance surrounding him, he leans more toward the latter instead of the former. His falsetto, coupled with the relentless keyboards on the Benassi track "Stardust," are a bit overwhelming, and while it's a catchy song with hit potential, it just doesn't show off Mika's skills at their best. "Make You Happy" mixes together several dance-inspired elements -- including a vocodered chorus that sounds like a pleading robot -- that never quite come together (however, the "Miami Edit" of this song has a calmer arrangement that better serves its affectionate and frustrated impulses). The Origin of Love fares better when it sticks closer to Mika's pure pop roots. "Celebrate," the Littlemore-Williams collaboration that served as the album's lead single and hinted at its electro leanings, is still a standout: it fuses the kind of slick beats Williams is known for with Littlemore's euphoric, post-Daft Punk dance-pop, but keeps Mika's sound and persona at the forefront at all times. The album's other highlights show that he's still a keen and witty singer/songwriter, especially when it comes to love's more confusing aspects. He has a darker attitude toward the subject than perhaps he's had before, comparing love to vices like smoking and drinking on the title track and the Buggles-esque new wave of "Love You When I'm Drunk." His character sketches are still sharp, too, with "Lola," "Emily," and "Popular Song" showcasing his knack for pairing detailed lyrics with ingratiating hooks. While it's odd that The Origin of Love doesn't work as well in practice as it might have in theory, it still has enough bright moments to please most fans. © Heather Phares /TiVo

Making an album even more vibrant than Life in Cartoon Motion would have been difficult for Mika. On The Boy Who Knew Too Much, he doesn't try to top himself; instead, he reins in just enough of his debut's indulgent tendencies to let his gift for great melodies and hooks be the focus. His multifaceted pop sounds a little calmer and a lot more confident here -- rather than cramming songs with moments intended to impress that end up being overwhelming, "Dr. John"'s finger-popping minor fall and major lift and the calypso-tinged "Blue Eyes" actually are impressive because they're so direct. While Life in Cartoon Motion was remarkably engaging, occasionally it felt like Mika was more skilled at pastiche than presenting his own sound. Here, Mika and producer Greg Wells fashion songs that sound truly distinctive; though touches of inspirations and peers like Elton John, the Bee Gees, and the Scissor Sisters still pop up, the musician Mika borrows from most on The Boy Who Knew Too Much is himself. The album's opening trio of tracks nods to his debut's most vivid moments without copying them: "We Are Golden" is every bit as sunshiny as "Love Today"; "Blame It on the Girls" builds on "Grace Kelly"'s sleek style; and "Rain" is a kissing cousin to "Relax"'s pulsing, melancholy disco-pop. Mika tries a few different sounds on for size, most notably on "Toy Boy," a subversively sweet singsong that lies somewhere between Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart" and the Dresden Dolls' "Coin Operated Boy," and the torchy finale, "Pick Up Off the Floor." While ballads still aren't his forte, slower tracks like the Imogen Heap collaboration "By the Time" offer welcome breathing room from "One Foot Boy" and the album's other almost ridiculously catchy tracks. Anyone who liked Life in Cartoon Motion's bright, brash approach won't be disappointed by The Boy Who Knew Too Much -- it's clear Mika knows exactly what he's doing. © Heather Phares /TiVo

Mika has flirted with dance music and electronic sounds since Life in Cartoon Motion, but on The Origin of Love he commits to it in a much bigger way. This time, Mika worked with dance and pop producers such as Benny Benassi, Pharrell Williams, Klas Åhlund, and Empire of the Sun's Nick Littlemore, as well as his The Boy Who Knew Too Much collaborator Greg Wells, and a song from the album's writing sessions, "Gang Bang," even ended up on Madonna's MDNA album. However, bringing the dance elements to the fore doesn't really suit his music overall, and the largely electronic arrangements lack the warmth, charm, and variety of his two previous albums. Often, The Origin of Love ends up reaffirming why most dance hits don't have the kind of clever, intricate lyrics that are Mika's specialty, and at times it feels like the sounds surrounding his words and melodies are competing with them instead of supporting them. Even on his other albums, Mika's style walked a fine line between exuberant and grating, and with less nuance surrounding him, he leans more toward the latter instead of the former. His falsetto, coupled with the relentless keyboards on the Benassi track "Stardust," are a bit overwhelming, and while it's a catchy song with hit potential, it just doesn't show off Mika's skills at their best. "Make You Happy" mixes together several dance-inspired elements -- including a vocodered chorus that sounds like a pleading robot -- that never quite come together (however, the "Miami Edit" of this song has a calmer arrangement that better serves its affectionate and frustrated impulses). The Origin of Love fares better when it sticks closer to Mika's pure pop roots. "Celebrate," the Littlemore-Williams collaboration that served as the album's lead single and hinted at its electro leanings, is still a standout: it fuses the kind of slick beats Williams is known for with Littlemore's euphoric, post-Daft Punk dance-pop, but keeps Mika's sound and persona at the forefront at all times. The album's other highlights show that he's still a keen and witty singer/songwriter, especially when it comes to love's more confusing aspects. He has a darker attitude toward the subject than perhaps he's had before, comparing love to vices like smoking and drinking on the title track and the Buggles-esque new wave of "Love You When I'm Drunk." His character sketches are still sharp, too, with "Lola," "Emily," and "Popular Song" showcasing his knack for pairing detailed lyrics with ingratiating hooks. While it's odd that The Origin of Love doesn't work as well in practice as it might have in theory, it still has enough bright moments to please most fans. © Heather Phares /TiVo