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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. We Are Golden |
| 2. Blame It On The Girls |
| 3. Rain |
| 4. Dr. John |
| 5. I See You |
| 6. Blue Eyes |
| 7. Good Gone Girl |
| 8. Touches You |
| 9. By The Time |
| 10. One Foot Boy |
| 11. Toy Boy |
| 12. Pick Up Off The Floor |
| 13. We Are Golden |
Product Description
Review
While it may come as a surprise to those blinkered to the machinations of the music industry, Mika’s ascent to superstardom around the time of his debut album, 2007’s Life in Cartoon Motion, wasn’t exactly smooth.
A spread of negative reviews for the Grace Kelly-spawning long-player did nothing to disrupt its commercial success. But Mika, as a musician who writes his own material, must surely have taken a few less-than-favourable assessments to heart – if not, it would only support the suggestion that his quirk-laden fare can’t mean much to the man himself.
So expectations for this follow-up incorporate hope that Mika has developed his sound following so much exposure, so many new experiences and a much bigger budget to play with. And, certainly, The Boy Who Knew Too Much is bolder of arrangement than its predecessor – sometimes haphazardly, and sporadically disastrously, but never boringly. Mika’s classical background can lead him down cluttered compositional avenues, but when he turns down the contrast between structural elements, the results are hugely enjoyable.
Both I See You and By the Time are pretty arrangements that find Mika’s occasionally questionable vocals complementing elegant piano lines well – the former is particularly striking in its accomplished articulating of melancholy, with no clunky couplet tripping over its sparely employed strings. It must surely be a single. In fact, it could very well be Mika’s finest moment yet.
Closer Pick Up Off the Floor rather undoes the good work of the aforementioned brace by coming over indecently theatrical, but it’s the only other track here that aims for the heart rather than a temporary embrace for a silly, drive-time sing-along. The lyrical drivel of lead single We Are Golden, Blame it on the Girls and Good Gone Girl is, sadly, fuel for the fires burning in the bellies of Mika’s fiercest critics, and salvation via the George Michael-echoing Touches You arrives as too little, too late. Mika needs to find a balance between the polar musical worlds he’s so intent on occupying, between mature sensitivity and worrying puerility.
Because, until then, his indulgences will always overshadow songs that are really quite beautiful. A disaster it’s not, then, but The Boy… is sure to attract no little vitriol from other corners of the music press, opinions swayed by its schizophrenic nature. --Mike Diver
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Product Description
CD > BRAZILIAN MUSIC > MPB - BRAZILIAN POPULAR MUSIC
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mika is pure gold. Yes, his music is pop, but it's music to sing, dance and feel good to, which is good enough for me. And I still haven't got tired of the first album, Life in Cartoon Motion after three years.
If you were worried that Mika's first album was too perfect and that the second album was bound to be a let-down, you can stop worrying now. I received the "Deluxe" (double-CD) version this morning, and I've been listening to it on loop ever since. This is a selection of new songs that are easily recognisable as Mika songs, but they're not clones. The trademark falsetto is still there, the songs are instantly likable, and there's a powerful emotional punch in the lyrics that help keep the songs fresh on repeated listening. It's music to pick you up and make you feel good.
The only slight disppointment is that there are just 13 tracks on the first CD - the bonus track is Lover Boy. There is no acoustic version of We Are Golden.
The second CD is a 17-track live recording from a one-off concert at Sadler's Wells, with a mix of songs from Life in Cartoon Motion and The Boy, plus several rarities from singles and EPs. I have no idea if there were ballerinas on stage during that concert, but it would be typical of Mika's showmanship if there were. The arrangements are quite different from those on the album, so this isn't a duplicate of tracks you already have. The Happy Ending duet with Ida Falk Winland brings me out in goosebumps. The pace and the wildness of the interpretations increases towards the end of the set; the energy is irresistable. Lollipop ends the concert, then there are three encores - plus an abandoned version of Any Other World (I would have liked to hear a full version)!
If you are a Mika junkie like me, there's no choice. You just have to buy this. And for the extra couple of quid, the 2 CD version just has to be worth it!
If you were worried that Mika's first album was too perfect and that the second album was bound to be a let-down, you can stop worrying now. I received the "Deluxe" (double-CD) version this morning, and I've been listening to it on loop ever since. This is a selection of new songs that are easily recognisable as Mika songs, but they're not clones. The trademark falsetto is still there, the songs are instantly likable, and there's a powerful emotional punch in the lyrics that help keep the songs fresh on repeated listening. It's music to pick you up and make you feel good.
The only slight disppointment is that there are just 13 tracks on the first CD - the bonus track is Lover Boy. There is no acoustic version of We Are Golden.
The second CD is a 17-track live recording from a one-off concert at Sadler's Wells, with a mix of songs from Life in Cartoon Motion and The Boy, plus several rarities from singles and EPs. I have no idea if there were ballerinas on stage during that concert, but it would be typical of Mika's showmanship if there were. The arrangements are quite different from those on the album, so this isn't a duplicate of tracks you already have. The Happy Ending duet with Ida Falk Winland brings me out in goosebumps. The pace and the wildness of the interpretations increases towards the end of the set; the energy is irresistable. Lollipop ends the concert, then there are three encores - plus an abandoned version of Any Other World (I would have liked to hear a full version)!
If you are a Mika junkie like me, there's no choice. You just have to buy this. And for the extra couple of quid, the 2 CD version just has to be worth it!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The other two reviews written for this (so far) are I believe either ridicoulously unfair on this new album or jumping to conclusions. Both haven't heard all the tracks so they don't really have a non biased view on the album.
Mika was being interviewed on a music channel and as part of the program, performed all the songs. Songs such as "Rain" stood out to me (as well as obvious "we are Golden"). But it is a slightly different take to his orignial debut album. The songs on this album all have darker meanings (in the interview I watched, he was quoted as saying "it's like ring a ring of roses"). Also, as with "we are golden" the choir-esk childen are shouting in the songs more this time around.
I'm sure it'll be a good album and there are some songs that you'll listen to and know immediately that they'll be released as singles, but don't except the happy feel good vibe that came from songs such as "Big Girl" and "love Today" and even "We Are Golden". For example, "Rain" is all about a girlfriend who dumped him via a letter, and it expresses his anger towards her for doing this.
Mika was being interviewed on a music channel and as part of the program, performed all the songs. Songs such as "Rain" stood out to me (as well as obvious "we are Golden"). But it is a slightly different take to his orignial debut album. The songs on this album all have darker meanings (in the interview I watched, he was quoted as saying "it's like ring a ring of roses"). Also, as with "we are golden" the choir-esk childen are shouting in the songs more this time around.
I'm sure it'll be a good album and there are some songs that you'll listen to and know immediately that they'll be released as singles, but don't except the happy feel good vibe that came from songs such as "Big Girl" and "love Today" and even "We Are Golden". For example, "Rain" is all about a girlfriend who dumped him via a letter, and it expresses his anger towards her for doing this.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great cd especially having the Live at Sadlers Wells included.
Was lucky enough to see him at the Radio 2 show in Blackpool he was great, he is a fantastic showman and always puts a smile on my face.
Was lucky enough to see him at the Radio 2 show in Blackpool he was great, he is a fantastic showman and always puts a smile on my face.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
As good as the last one!
I think Mika has created the only two CD's that I love all the tracks on them!!! Its great CD just to put on and listen to. I personally didn't Toy Boy but that's just me! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Holz
Fantastic sing alongs
A must for sing along addicts. Really catchy songs and if you love or don't like Mika buy it. It will make you smile with the happy songs.
Published 8 months ago by aitch
Great Quality
Item arrived in quick time, was very pleased with it, it was a gift for someone else so not for me, but they tell me it was great. Thanks.
Published 12 months ago by Wayne Thomson
Wow
Love this CD, another brilliant album by Mika. Really enjoyed listening to it and the live disc was great aswell. Highly recommended.
Published 14 months ago by Clare
the boy who knew too much
This CD is a birthday gift for my granddaughter, thus I have not heard it or even unpacked it. Delivery was prompt and the CD arrived in good order.
5 star for delivery.
5 star for delivery.
Published 18 months ago by Martha Haigh
MIKA - The Boy Who Knew Too Much
There is 12 delighted MIKA songs on this CD. If you like funny songs It's is what you are looking for.
Published 19 months ago by melihs
Vintage MIca
As good and varied as the last album. Some catchy tunes and definitely worth buying.
Published 22 months ago by KF
Call me Crazy
Normal people don't like Mika's music. I think that's a fact. If you ask people around you, they'd probably laugh and call you crazy.
Okay - I'm crazy. Read more
Okay - I'm crazy. Read more
Published 22 months ago by simon211175
MIKA - GREAT MUSIC
Playing this constantly in the car for the last 2 weeks as it is brilliant.
Published on 24 May 2010 by Book Addict
Keeps you smiling
I was unsure at first about purchasing this CD but I am so glad I did buy it. I love playing it as it always puts a smile on my face and I love singing along. Read more
Published on 30 April 2010 by Sylvia Gentry
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