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Track Listings
| 1. Grace Kelly |
| 2. Lollipop |
| 3. My Interpretation |
| 4. Love Today |
| 5. Relax (Take It Easy) |
| 6. Ring Ring |
| 7. Any Other World |
| 8. Billy Brown |
| 9. Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) |
| 10. Stuck In The Middle |
| 11. Erase |
| 12. Happy Ending |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The pop world might be all cooing 'n' cross-eyed over this flamboyant elfin with extended tail-feathers, as if it were shaken suddenly from a slumber, but the arrival of such a character was in fact always inevitable. He's an unlikely but traceable amalgamation of random pop culture explosions from the past few years--two parts Paulo Nutini, one part Kemal from Big Brother, a dash of Daphne & Celeste, a barrel measure of Scissor Sisters, and another pinch of post-ironic dancing to Elton John at the Students' Union gone midnight. It's no secret that the UK has a weakness for pretty-boy singer songwriters either--he fits in there too, in that he's about to stick its index finger in the socket and pour it a drink.
Give it 12 months and you might be taking out a restraining order--Mika will split opinion--but his quasi-soul falsetto is unbelievable, that much is immediately obvious. There are moments nearing syrupy Feeling-esque normalcy (take "My Interpretation"), but those aside it's high camp insatiability all the way. There's a hint of Freddie Mercury’s theatricality in the voice, and in "Big Girl" he's even written a modern day "Fat Bottomed Girls". "Lollipop" is Jake Shears leading the Jackson 5, "Love Today" is the missing link between the Bee Gees and Village People and "Relax, Take It Easy" is a chilled Pet Shop Boys in gold lamé. Too cheesy to be a classic, perhaps, but this is just the brand of subversive eccentricity Robbie has failed miserably to achieve over his past few albums. --James Berry
Product Description
2007 debut album from the quirky Lebanese-born and Paris/London raised singer/songwriter who has been compared to Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Elton John and The Bee Gees. Brimming with brightly-hued melodies, engaging hooks and a lyrical style that speaks exactly and distinctly of its moment, he's been given an outlet for his unique vision. When you hear it, you'll know...this is one very special artist! Features the singles 'Relax Take It Easy' and 'Grace Kelly'. Island.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
79 of 87 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I saw the video for "Grace Kelly" back in January 2007 I sat up and paid attention. Who's this I said? He sounds like a cross between Elton John and Queen. In fact, he sounds a lot like Freddie Mercury. I have to get this. Alas, it was not yet availabe in the U.S., so I got it from the U.K. instead. It was not until today that I was allowed to post a review. After listening to it for 6+ weeks I have to say that it is easily one of the best debuts of 2007, and one of the strongest in recent memory.
Mika is apparently Lebanese born and Paris/London raised. He apparently was trained at the Lysee school of music in France. This is evident by the abundance of talent throughout the songs. He is clever, he is original and he is thankfully DIVERSE. "Grace Kelly", "Lollipop", "Love Today", "Relax (Take It Easy)", "Any Other World", "Billy Brown", "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" and "Happy Ending" are all solid songs.
After repeated listening I felt that not only does Mika remind me of 70's Elton John and Queen, but he also reminded me of the Bee Gees in terms of his abundant use of falsetto (which is more refreshing than it is grating). He also employs elements of The Beatles with the Eleanor Rigby-ish strings on "Any Other World".
The bottom line is "Life In Cartoon Motion" is cheap and the music is very good. Mika definitely seems like someone to watch in the future. Also you have probably already been exposed to his music via the Verizon telphone commercials on t.v. and in movie multiplexes which featured the song "Love Today". Already he's released three singles from "Life In Cartoon Motion"--"Relax (Take It Easy)", "Love Today" and "Grace Kelly" in Europe. "Grace Kelly" was a number one hit over there already along with "Life In Cartoon Motion". Now, if Mika could only conquer America. Probably not--too much hip hop garbage. But you could change that. Check out "Life In Cartoon Motion".
Mika is apparently Lebanese born and Paris/London raised. He apparently was trained at the Lysee school of music in France. This is evident by the abundance of talent throughout the songs. He is clever, he is original and he is thankfully DIVERSE. "Grace Kelly", "Lollipop", "Love Today", "Relax (Take It Easy)", "Any Other World", "Billy Brown", "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" and "Happy Ending" are all solid songs.
After repeated listening I felt that not only does Mika remind me of 70's Elton John and Queen, but he also reminded me of the Bee Gees in terms of his abundant use of falsetto (which is more refreshing than it is grating). He also employs elements of The Beatles with the Eleanor Rigby-ish strings on "Any Other World".
The bottom line is "Life In Cartoon Motion" is cheap and the music is very good. Mika definitely seems like someone to watch in the future. Also you have probably already been exposed to his music via the Verizon telphone commercials on t.v. and in movie multiplexes which featured the song "Love Today". Already he's released three singles from "Life In Cartoon Motion"--"Relax (Take It Easy)", "Love Today" and "Grace Kelly" in Europe. "Grace Kelly" was a number one hit over there already along with "Life In Cartoon Motion". Now, if Mika could only conquer America. Probably not--too much hip hop garbage. But you could change that. Check out "Life In Cartoon Motion".
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Gina Miller
Today I received the just released Mika CD. I hit mute on my television, left my laptop humming and listened to the whole disk, and it was easy to do. This kid's got that special something. I pre-purchased his CD after I saw his "Grace Kelly" video on the music television channel.
I was very pleased that all of the songs that I heard were obviously by the same artist that produced Grace Kelley. I say that because sometimes you hear a song, it's great, you get the whole album and that song just happened to be a different flavor than the rest of the work. This was all Mika flavor! I was also impressed to see his name next to every song "written by Mika". Only a couple had co-writers.
So Mika has an amazing range, he hits the most beautiful cascading highs, and drops into whispery billowing lows. What ever his formula is, it's perfect. He has found a place that is refreshing and downright charming to hear.
-Grace Kelly: exhibits this range perfectly, its fun and epic at the same time which isn't always possible. This is effective much in the way that the song "I believe in a thing called love" by Darkness, but without the metal edge or dated feeling. Mika carries his whimsy in a completely modern tone - while still occasionally evoking the feelings of retro Broadway stylings. Grace Kelly is a perfect work of art.
-Lollipop: fun banter, feels like frolicking in a parade.
-My Interpretation: Soft and inviting yet with a surprisingly powerful chorus. The piano lulls you but before you know it you have been carried off into a state of heightened buildup that you only notice when you are returned again to the piano.
-Love Today: A modern number, Mika's high voice floats and seemingly dances over heavy pulsing drums while it sways back and forth into a strong street corner like bullhorn spoken word (think Beck's "Where It's At").
-Relax: Unlike it's title, this song is a sad song that is trying to relax. It is almost as if we are taken inside his head while he self talks himself into comfort, at one point it feels as though he has transitioned from himself to speaking these words of acceptance to someone else.
-Any Other World: Begins with a woman's monologue that speaks of love gone wrong, losing an eye and never loving a man again. Mika's voice soft and rich (like chocolate) voice stretches over the singing piano that plays in short and quick strokes evoking the flutterings of butterfly wings, it begins to blossom as the song rises slowly with heavy strings, resulting in a beautiful power, that strengthens his words. The strings descend into the short flitters we initially heard, charging the variable of emotions. This song could be taken in one of two ways, staying in an unhealthy relationship means leaving your original childlike dreams of the world you used to live, or it could mean leaving the relationship to enter into a new world without the pain of the relationship. A matter of perspective I suppose. Either way, the song ends where it began.
-Billy Brown: A perky jingle about a man with a wife, children and a dog who falls in love with a man. Interesting, would have liked to hear a little more emotion about the main character, but I commend him for covering this content. For love is love.
-Big Girls: Starts out so cute with the slurping of a straw! This song's content reminds me of Queens "Fat Bottom Girls" I respect the ode to diversity, as in the last track all the varied beauty in the world is appreciated. And I appreciate that for indeed beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
-Stuck in the Middle: The sweetest melody strung together with the highest of the high voice sprawling over a heavy beat. This song ponders a relationship, and the presence and depth of where to go, stuck in the middle. I like the piano that floods in like cabaret at the end mixed with very nice and improv sounding vocals.
-Happy Ending: It begins with an alluring multiple voice intro, and Miko's melancholy voice especially with those sweeping "I's" is immediate in it's infectious beauty, causing you to fall in love with it's bittersweet sound. The song multiplies itself lending to more and more power, you know right away that it will be a song you will love.
----Now here is the tricky part, if you look at the song directory on the back of the CD it appears as though the next song is a bonus track called Ring Ring, but before you get to that you will remain on track 10 which was the last song, you will hear a strangely long amount of silence, hang in there, don't skip to the next song, because there while eventually arise another section of track ten "Over My Shoulder". To simplify, "Happy Ending" and "Over My Shoulder" are both on track ten, with a very long break of silence in between. But it is so worth the wait!!!
-Over My Shoulder: The most amazing track, it is so lovely that you almost feel as though you are in Church, his voice is slow and echoes profoundly with such sweet perfection. He delivers into space with such control that you feel you are in the presence of something holy or royal. There is only the slightest landscape of sound that his voice cascades over. I love this track, it is magic.
-Ring Ring: the bonus track, fun and confident "leave me alone!" it's upbeat adventure ends abruptly, I found that interesting.
All and All - Mika not only lived up to the wonderful song that prompted me to buy his album but there were many more wonderful surprises. I felt like a kid in a candy shop, like I just saw a Broadway play, or visited Willy Wonka, it is indeed otherworldly and I will be visiting a lot.
Mika is a super talent with a wonderful ability to convey a strong but ethereal sense of being that swallows up every song in his unique wrapper. He has his own voice, and while I mean that literally I also mean it figuratively. I love this album, it's fresh but mature in construction. I highly recommend it.
I was very pleased that all of the songs that I heard were obviously by the same artist that produced Grace Kelley. I say that because sometimes you hear a song, it's great, you get the whole album and that song just happened to be a different flavor than the rest of the work. This was all Mika flavor! I was also impressed to see his name next to every song "written by Mika". Only a couple had co-writers.
So Mika has an amazing range, he hits the most beautiful cascading highs, and drops into whispery billowing lows. What ever his formula is, it's perfect. He has found a place that is refreshing and downright charming to hear.
-Grace Kelly: exhibits this range perfectly, its fun and epic at the same time which isn't always possible. This is effective much in the way that the song "I believe in a thing called love" by Darkness, but without the metal edge or dated feeling. Mika carries his whimsy in a completely modern tone - while still occasionally evoking the feelings of retro Broadway stylings. Grace Kelly is a perfect work of art.
-Lollipop: fun banter, feels like frolicking in a parade.
-My Interpretation: Soft and inviting yet with a surprisingly powerful chorus. The piano lulls you but before you know it you have been carried off into a state of heightened buildup that you only notice when you are returned again to the piano.
-Love Today: A modern number, Mika's high voice floats and seemingly dances over heavy pulsing drums while it sways back and forth into a strong street corner like bullhorn spoken word (think Beck's "Where It's At").
-Relax: Unlike it's title, this song is a sad song that is trying to relax. It is almost as if we are taken inside his head while he self talks himself into comfort, at one point it feels as though he has transitioned from himself to speaking these words of acceptance to someone else.
-Any Other World: Begins with a woman's monologue that speaks of love gone wrong, losing an eye and never loving a man again. Mika's voice soft and rich (like chocolate) voice stretches over the singing piano that plays in short and quick strokes evoking the flutterings of butterfly wings, it begins to blossom as the song rises slowly with heavy strings, resulting in a beautiful power, that strengthens his words. The strings descend into the short flitters we initially heard, charging the variable of emotions. This song could be taken in one of two ways, staying in an unhealthy relationship means leaving your original childlike dreams of the world you used to live, or it could mean leaving the relationship to enter into a new world without the pain of the relationship. A matter of perspective I suppose. Either way, the song ends where it began.
-Billy Brown: A perky jingle about a man with a wife, children and a dog who falls in love with a man. Interesting, would have liked to hear a little more emotion about the main character, but I commend him for covering this content. For love is love.
-Big Girls: Starts out so cute with the slurping of a straw! This song's content reminds me of Queens "Fat Bottom Girls" I respect the ode to diversity, as in the last track all the varied beauty in the world is appreciated. And I appreciate that for indeed beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
-Stuck in the Middle: The sweetest melody strung together with the highest of the high voice sprawling over a heavy beat. This song ponders a relationship, and the presence and depth of where to go, stuck in the middle. I like the piano that floods in like cabaret at the end mixed with very nice and improv sounding vocals.
-Happy Ending: It begins with an alluring multiple voice intro, and Miko's melancholy voice especially with those sweeping "I's" is immediate in it's infectious beauty, causing you to fall in love with it's bittersweet sound. The song multiplies itself lending to more and more power, you know right away that it will be a song you will love.
----Now here is the tricky part, if you look at the song directory on the back of the CD it appears as though the next song is a bonus track called Ring Ring, but before you get to that you will remain on track 10 which was the last song, you will hear a strangely long amount of silence, hang in there, don't skip to the next song, because there while eventually arise another section of track ten "Over My Shoulder". To simplify, "Happy Ending" and "Over My Shoulder" are both on track ten, with a very long break of silence in between. But it is so worth the wait!!!
-Over My Shoulder: The most amazing track, it is so lovely that you almost feel as though you are in Church, his voice is slow and echoes profoundly with such sweet perfection. He delivers into space with such control that you feel you are in the presence of something holy or royal. There is only the slightest landscape of sound that his voice cascades over. I love this track, it is magic.
-Ring Ring: the bonus track, fun and confident "leave me alone!" it's upbeat adventure ends abruptly, I found that interesting.
All and All - Mika not only lived up to the wonderful song that prompted me to buy his album but there were many more wonderful surprises. I felt like a kid in a candy shop, like I just saw a Broadway play, or visited Willy Wonka, it is indeed otherworldly and I will be visiting a lot.
Mika is a super talent with a wonderful ability to convey a strong but ethereal sense of being that swallows up every song in his unique wrapper. He has his own voice, and while I mean that literally I also mean it figuratively. I love this album, it's fresh but mature in construction. I highly recommend it.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By imago99
Format:Audio CD
Ok I'm probably not the target audience for this CD...if there even is one. I never really listened to Queen or any of the other people MIKA has been compared to, but I was hooked from the first time I heard Grace Kelly on the radio, and I bought the CD as soon as it came out.
It's probably the happiest saddest CD that I own which makes me love it more. MIKA deals with so many issues in his songs and presents them in such an amazing way. The part of you that may not want to like a song for whatever reason always loses to the part of you that just can't help loving it.
So yeah, MIKA has got a great voice, his songs are catchy and you'll have a blast singing along, the instrumentals are awesome, and to top it off the lyrics are fun yet serious and meaningful. All together it makes an amazing album.
It's probably the happiest saddest CD that I own which makes me love it more. MIKA deals with so many issues in his songs and presents them in such an amazing way. The part of you that may not want to like a song for whatever reason always loses to the part of you that just can't help loving it.
So yeah, MIKA has got a great voice, his songs are catchy and you'll have a blast singing along, the instrumentals are awesome, and to top it off the lyrics are fun yet serious and meaningful. All together it makes an amazing album.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great debut album!
This album is filled with great songs and got me hooked on Mika! Now I have all of his albums :3
Published 3 days ago by Elizabeth
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasant Mix of 80's/ 90's Style
I went looking for Mika after hearing him in "Were the World Mine". I was surprised (in a good way) to find the music peppy and the lyrics entertaining. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Laura Landau
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mika's hit soars
Love the CD & now have it loaded on my iPod & car. The last track is beautiful and makes you "Love Today".
Published 23 days ago by Mikey J
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic.
Mika is fabulous, an exception to the disappointing pop music on the radio. Grace Kelly is one of my all-time favorite songs.
Published 27 days ago by Anne Pauley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good.
I mainly bought this CD for 'Grace Kelly' but there are some other fun, upbeat songs on it as well. Mika is definitely a different listen.
Published 1 month ago by mikoyoukai
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love it!
Every cut on this disc is marvelous. Try it and see for yourself. You will be hearing some of these melodies for years.
Published 2 months ago by B. McKinney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it
I enjoy this album is so up beat and fun to listen to. Especially Grace Kelly thats one of my favourites.
Published 4 months ago by Miss O'rourke
5.0 out of 5 stars
This man just cannot make a bad album!
Not every song on this album is a classic, but there are at least 5 or 6 that are so good they seem they will never grow old to me. Mika is a genious.
Published 4 months ago by curethedolphins
5.0 out of 5 stars
Will bring you joy!
Some of my European friends turned me on to Mika long before he had a hit or two here in USA. This is a great CD from beginning to end. I love every song! Read more
Published 4 months ago by vintagemoderneer
4.0 out of 5 stars
A HAPPY album
The best way to describe Mika and this album would be HAPPY. Whenever we are down or need/want some happy music we put on this album.
Published 4 months ago by Alphabutter
