Droopsy

Lola sounds good so far.

why after MYH and Underwater do I find the rest banal or cheap?

 

I definitely need to listen to a proper album on CD

Looking forward to my home gig anyway, I'm sure I'll make up my mind then

Same, the album probably sounds quite different. Though I have to say the videos I've heard from tiibet today were very good, resulting in the songs sounding a bit better too

I've been like this for TBWKTM too, I haven't liked WAG or Rain completely, honestly. Nothing will compare LICM as surprise effects, originality and amazingness

But I loved the second album too, and I picked up my favourites. Probably it will be the same with the third one.

Too early to tell

 

Thanks for trying to cure me...you are my nicorette

what demential lyrics

True enough, but I already accepted that a while ago.

@rosa: I'll be honest with you, I'm not liking the new stuff so far. From what I've heard there isn't any song that sparks the same enthusiasm as I had before. Not underwater, not karen, not myh, not tool... I really liked celebrate at first, I guess it's still my favorite of the new stuff, but it's not like I'll get the sudden urge to play it a lot.

The worst thing about it is that I wish it was different. I wanted to like the new stuff but I got disappointed. And with every new song I hope that it will be different and that I will love it immediately like I did with most of the old stuff. So here's me looking forward to Lola, and hoping that will be the song...

Anyway, even if I don't like this album, that's not the end of the world imo. I expect more albums to follow + maybe the studio versions of these songs are totally different, time will tell.

Some more info in this article. Thanks to Hippieibbie for translating!

Mika: It was nice not to be alone!

 

After 5 years of waiting, Mika finally came to the Nibe Festival to play. And Gaffa was with him

 

Gaffa got the opportunity to meet Mika after the concert, and then there got raked up in a old wound.

 

You should have played at Nibe 5 years ago, but you had to cancel. That didn’t make you popular. Do you feel you and the audience “kissed and made up” during the concert?

 

Mika: (laughing) I don’t know. Ask them. When I cancelled last time, was it all wrong with me. Lost 60% of my hearing. When things like that happen you, get scared of you might get death, and if the career is over. I went all the way to the rats (a Danish saying). But I found the balance, and got the most of my hearing back again, but I have never got over it. If I have to go at a restaurant, I have to sit in a corner with the one ear against the wall, to hear something. But It wont let me down. It wouldn’t help my career. Så I shut up and swallow the caramel, that was the best I could do. I want to stand up and say “I’m a bit late. But I’m here now”

 

And now it's now. You got a new album “The Origin of love” on the way (out in September), There is filled with love songs…

 

Mika: (smiling laughing) Yes, not normally love songs. Pretty different.

And that makes a kliché question, and I would like to hear, what there make you do an album with love songs?

Mika: Hmm, to lose the love and then fall in love very quick again. And to follow the flow. First I haven’t wrote a song in a half year, and been on tour for 2 years. And I didn’t knew how to get started again. And each time I thought about writing a song, I felt the pressure. And then I felt in love again, felt in love with writing songs again. I have wrote songs since I was 11 years old, so to write songs is my job. Not to write for a half year was very strange. But to fell in love with a new person, was motivation enough to leave my life in London, pack my bags, call Nick Littlemore (producer) that I would like to work with. Then I wrote the tittle track to the new album “the origin of love” and I didn’t take home for a half year, and wrote the album during that time

 

You say that the album contains unconventional love songs. What makes them unconventional?

 

Mika: "There are all kinds of love songs. There is one called" Love you When I'm Drunk ", a song about hating love, which is" The Origin of Love ", which is about the Roman Catholic church, and my contempt for religion's chains. It's not exactly 90s-ballads (laughs). "

 

Fortunately. Now that you are the Roman Catholic Church and chains. How else would you describe your relationship to religion?

 

Mika: "I have no respect for religious authority. I think they are terrible. But I think it's good to have faith. Whether it's a tree or in one that is called God. I grew up with religion . I was brought up by a hippie Roman Catholic family. a strange environment. It was always that I should go to church, or I would be punished. "

 

If we return to the love songs, what do you think the perfect love song contains?

 

Mika: "(laughs) Probably a Diane Warren and Celine album. But hatred. Absolutely. Anger. There will be resentment in a love song. Tension between" I love you but I hate you also "do a love song valid. when you love someone, you appreciate them not only. you hate them also for the control they have over you, how weak you feel. you hate how much better you feel, now that you're in love, for why can not you be happy enough alone. Blondie is a good example. Blondie has written the best love songs. There are plenty of sexual tension. "

 

What love song are your favorite? Is it one of Blondie?

 

Mika: "Yeah, or maybe Björk with 'It's Oh so Quiet'. It is good love song. Psychotic, crazy, disturbed. All the things that a love song must contain".

 

What’s the best song to make love to?

 

Mika: "Hmm, I know hardly. I think many of my generation probably was conceived for an East 17-plate, and it's certainly not sexy music (laughs). The best songs to love to is probably not the best songs to make love to. I hate the idea of what song I was conceived, and I have no desire to figure it out. The idea makes me really badly. Sex and music may not work so well together, unless you is really drunk and then you probably just f*ck the wrong person anyway.

 

Which song do you feel the audience enjoyed the most during the concert?

 

Mika: "'The Origin of Love' felt good. There was another love song I wanted to try, called" Under the Water ", but I dropped. I do not know why. Maybe because there were technical problems at the start of the concert . But my performances with "the Origin of Love" was almost six minutes long, and I really enjoyed it. long intro, it starts, it gets so big and even bigger before it becomes small again. The song is a bold musical statement. there is much music and singing in it. and you must remember that it is a very compact case to soak in for the first time. But the audience took it to their heart. it was also the first time I performed with it.

 

Yes you mention that on the stage!

 

Mika: "(laughs) I do not know if it was due to stress or whether it was an excuse. If everything went to completely wrong, then you knew why."

 

People also liked “celebrate”

 

Mika: "Yes, definitely, but I didnt think much about it, because I’ve played once before. But it's a big change. I make big changes. And I know I’ve to make the changes perfect. I’m on my third album and make alternative pop. it is my responsibility as a musician to make bold statements, to make things that are contradictory in a way. that is what I do. "

 

What was the best about making your third album?

 

Mika: That I had fun

 

What was so fun?

 

Mika: "It was fun not to be alone. I had Nick Little More to have fun with. I had Pharrell Williams, and some guys that I found on the web. A 22-year-old who never had made a major release before. I heard him (FrYars) online, visited him at his mother. A week after I took him to the States. 'Come with me. We make music and have fun. "the whole concept of the album was to make happy and alternative pop music . to make alternative pop music is a Contradiction. But it can be done. When I think of artists that I love ... for example, Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, and Beck. I see Beck do 'Odelay' and watch him go into a shop to buy his own album, because he makes music for himself. All of us in the studio are doing music for ourselves. We are grown men who make happy pop music for ourselves. And it is never a bad thing

 

Can you feel the joy of the album?

 

Mika: Yes, you can. There’s much joy at the album. It's very inspired by the Bee Gees, Fleetwod Mac and french house from the 90s. And you can sense the sincerity of the album. And it was nice not being alone.

Mika: It was nice not to be alone!

Thanks for translating!

[YOUTUBE]QX4JSaKhpPo&feature=youtube_gdata[/YOUTUBE]

Awesome! Thanks so much Gotta love a man who plays the sax!

Happy Ending, where he also intruduce his band:thumb_yello:

Thanks!

Hehe, wouldn't be a Mika gig without a mistake

Is that... Latin?

Yes.... Yes it is? Not the kind of choirs I was expecting when he talked about it in the interviews. I like the ending of the song the most I guess.

i'll translate it:thumb_yello: give me some time! and it will be up! x)

Thank you!! Seems like an interesting interview!

Again dont expect too much.. cause the drums mess up with the sound of my camera, as it's no good camera for videos.. btu for pics.. but i am sure someone will post a better one soon!

 

[YOUTUBE]qNCsi5FFS_Y&feature=youtube_gdata[/YOUTUBE]

*watches*

Maybe he's taking his pregnancy seriously.

Could be

What's wrong with Tah Dah?

 

Maybe it will make the 12 cut if Celebrate is a success.

I have to see the "word" in the song context before I can pass judgement, so I can't say anything now I mean, you could have the noise that babies make, you can have the "bye bye" tah dah, or the "wow look, here I am" tah dah.

Maybe there's another meaning that I don't know about yet

Tah.... Dah?

Well, I don't really know what to say baghead

He says he dislikes the Kick Ass song!

First time he's ever said that!

Phew! I thought I had missed that before!! I never would have thought that.

A little interview, but there's really not much new info unfortunately...

edit: wait, does he really say he hates kick-ass?? Maybe this is old news already, I didn't know it yet

--------------

http://www.chartsinfrance.net/MIKA/news-80337.html

Mika : mon prochain album ? "De l'amour, de la tolérance et de la joie"

Mika is back. Un an après avoir fait danser la France avec "Elle me dit", le chanteur d'origine libanaise vient de dévoiler deux titres de son prochain album "The Origin Of Love" à paraitre le 17 septembre prochain. Deux morceaux qui laissent présager une nouvelle sonorité électro-dance. Virage ou pas ? Comment a-t-il travaillé ? Pourquoi Pharrell Williams sur "Celebrate" ? Pure Charts a rencontré MIKA qui lève le voile sur son troisième opus.

"The Origin Of Love" est le morceau qui ouvre et qui donne son nom à votre troisième et prochain album (lire notre critique)… Un titre très produit, électro-dance, à l'opposé de "Relax" ou "Rain" et qui donne un peu le ton de ce disque. (Steven Bellery, journaliste)

MIKA : C'est le premier titre. Il présente le thème et le son de cet album. J'écoute énormément de musiques différentes. J'adore écouter de la musique sans les barrières, sans les frontières. Du jazz au classique. Alors je me suis dit pourquoi pas faire un album qui utilise un côté de la musique électro. J'avais en tête comme références la musique des années 60 quand les instruments électro ont fait leur apparition. Et en même temps la musique des années 80, la bande originale de Blade Runner, la house française et plus récent Daft Punk.

Une électro à la sauce Mika donc… La semaine dernière, vous dévoiliez "Celebrate", votre nouveau single qui succède à "Elle me dit". Un titre produit avec Pharrell Williams. C'est tout de même très différent de vos anciens titres…

Je voulais faire de la musique avec un côté électro mais avec beaucoup de chœurs. Je ne voulais pas quelque chose de fait sur un ordinateur. Sur "The Origin Of Love" ou "Celebrate", tout est vrai. C'est moi et des musiciens dans un studio en train de jouer. Et après on fait de la post-production, on découpe tous les morceaux pour les programmer. Mais tous les ingrédients sont acoustiques. C'était la manière de donner du cœur à quelque chose qui a tendance des fois à être trop froid, trop machine…

On sent à l'écoute de votre album (qu'on découvrira en septembre) que vous avez digéré une grande partie des cinquante années de l'histoire de la pop… D'ailleurs, la seconde partie du disque est clairement pop et pas électro, c'est plus du Mika que l'on connaît…

Le but de cet album c'était de parler de l'amour, de la tolérance et de la joie. Je voulais aussi représenter ce que je suis comme fan de musique. J'écoute de la musique depuis l'enfance sans savoir ce que c'est. A Paris, j'écoutais Gainsbourg, Moustaki, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, du reggae… Je ne sais pas ce que je fais la plupart du temps, je fais des chansons qui me plaisent, qui me font sourire, qui me font pleurer…

Vous avez tout de même travaillé différemment que pour "The Boy Who Knew Too Much"

Cette fois-ci c'était complètement l'inverse oui. Le dernier album j'avais travaillé seul au piano. Cette fois-ci, j'ai écrit et produit en même temps.

Est-ce qu'on peut parler de virage alors ?

C'est complètement dans la continuité. C'est sincère. C'est pas un virage même s'il y a beaucoup de développements. Je ne me suis pas dit tiens je vais faire un album avec Timberland, je vais lui donner 500.000 dollars et hop. Je n'avais aucune intention de faire cela. On me dit alors, pourquoi ne pas travailler avec RedOne ? J'ai répondu "j'ai déjà fait un titre avec lui et j'ai détesté ce titre"… J'aime bien ce qu'il fait pour Lady GaGa mais ça n'était pas pour moi. Je n'allais pas acheter un son !

Vous avez tout de même appelé Pharrell Williams pour "Celebrate" ?

Je voulais travailler avec lui sur le deuxième album. Je l'ai contacté. Il m'a dit OK c'est 100.000 dollars. Tu m'envoies 50.000 avant qu'on commence et 50.000 quand on a fini. J'ai répondu par fax au management, j'ai écrit : "Is this a joke ?" (est-ce que c'est une blague ?, NDLR). Cette fois-ci, on a travaillé ensemble sur deux titres. Aucun contrat. Pas d'échange d'argent, pas de règles. Absolument zéro problème. Il était complètement cool, il a compris que je voulais sa musicalité pas son nom. Je voulais juste m'amuser avec lui.

--Steven BELLERY

sorry, i didn't know it was released now somewhere else than in france. i've been in mika delirium the last few days you know

Haha, I totally understand

Yes, it was released in Belgium on saturday already. So I wonder if it's also available in other countries where they speak french too then? I still don't get it at all... Why this difference. It just makes no sense Could have been a great song for summer.

wtf, can't believe they wanna release this perfect summer hit only in september (apart from france)!

t4p.

Thank you Miro!me neither!

And Belgium We're not France you know

Can't believe they're only releasing the song in september in the uk, come on!

Yeah but there are people in Belgium that speak French, or am I wrong?

Me neither, I'm hopeing for the 18th because that was the original release date, but I don't know

 

Yes. (the charts are seperate though, everything is ... even eurovision, heck, even the traffic rules believe it or not!) The point I was trying to make by comparing with EMD is that I would have understand it if they had released that song only in countries where they spoke french. But that I wouldn't understand why they would do this with Celebrate since 1. it isn't in French and 2. he's still signed with island

So I'll just hope they release it in the other countries soon too!

I don't know why I looked because I knew it wouldn't be there, but I

looked on US iTunes and of course it wasn't there.

 

I don't expect to see it there for a while, either.

 

Although I did notice that they finally have Vive le Vent.

 

Nice!! Fancy having an early christmas party, deb?

Let's hope, so it isn't only released in the French speaking countries.

Belgium's multilingual. I speak Dutch. Elle me dit however was a top ten hit over here (the flemish part) as well so....

I wouldn't understand if they didn't release celebrate in the uk... So I'm just thinking they'll release it in a few days as well Maybe I'm naive? I just don't see a reason why they wouldn't.

....

 

On the other hand Mika has turned into a fantastic performer. The first time I saw him I could have never imagined the amazing energy and extraordinary charisma he would put into his later shows. For me it's a fair tradeoff and I can't believe that anyone who has seen Mika's show at a festival or wherever doesn't walk away impressed.

True story. Someone once told me they never understood what I liked about Mika... Until they were at a festival where he happened to be playing... They totally got it then

I do think it odd that it is this French record label (Barclay) releasing it. I wonder if he is still signed with Island Records at all....

 

 

 

I fear I'll feel your pain about one now Let's see / hear.

This is from the Belgian charts site:

http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Mika+feat%2E+Pharrell+Williams&titel=Celebrate&cat=s

MIKA FEAT. PHARRELL WILLIAMS - CELEBRATE (NUMMER)

 

Jaar: 2012

Muziek/Tekst: Pharrell Williams - Mika - Ben Garrett

Producer: Peter Hayes - Nick Littlemore

 

TRACKS

 

Promo - Digital Island 00602537098538 (UMG) / EAN 0602537098538 11/06/2012

 

So I think it's safe to say he's still with Island...

AND what's even better... Celebrate is now for sale in the Belgian version of Itunes as well!!!!!!! http://itunes.apple.com/be/album/celebrate-feat.-pharrell-williams/id535706462?i=535706463&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

So maybe it's available for other countries too already, and if not it won't be long I guess

Really?

So strange, I find that song really tranquil.

Really? Wow, I have the opposite feeling It makes me nervous, jumpy...

It's so strange (and fascinating!) how different the effect of a certain song can be on different people!

Seriously? I feel the same way, I want to throw something at my TV or just destroy anything when I listen to MYH, so I've stopped listening to it because I love my things more than MYH

haha! Well, I wouldn't actually throw or break something though But it does get on my nerves. I think because it's too monotone or something?

Mika: All I wanna do is make you happy!

Droopsy: ALL YOU REALLY DO IS MAKE ME ANGRY! *throws stuff*

Hahaha!! Pretty much!!! I better not bring an umbrella with me to the festival!

Anyway, seriously, after reading the first reviews of the album I'm still concerned that it will all be too electro for me... Time will tell I suppose

And I always thought you'd get better with practise.. well Mika must be the opposite First album's epic, second one is nice and if the whole album's going to be like these two songs.. Bohoohohoo

I wouldn't go as far as you, but I completely agree that LICM (and tbwktm which was basically LICM 2 IMO) is definitely something else

That being said, I really prefer celebrate over MYH. It makes me happy, which is the main reason why I became a fan of Mika's music in the first place. With MYH I get a sudden urge to throw / break things

Oh nice one! Much more positive and exciting

 

Is anybody translating it or can I start working on it?

I think you're good to go my french isn't that good anymore with the lack of mika news for almost two years

Here is another review of the songs presented:

http://www.chartsinfrance.net/MIKA/news-80259.html

-------------------------------------

"The Origin Of Love" débarquera dans les bacs le 17 septembre prochain. Le troisième album de Mika est quasi terminé. Il a fait écouter les neuf premiers titres à quelques journalistes ce midi. Pure Charts y était.

Mika est toujours le même. Il le promet. Mais, "The Origin Of Love" à paraitre le 17 septembre amorce tout de même un vrai virage pour le chanteur de "Relax". Ce midi, dans un café branché de Saint-Germain, à Paris, le chanteur avait convié programmateurs et journalistes à une première écoute de son troisième album studio. Neuf titres. Pas tous finalisés.

Le morceau qui ouvre l'album donne son nom au disque. "The Origin Of Love", chanson écrite à Montréal il y a un an et demi quand Mika a commencé la préparation. Un titre très électro dance, sans véritable refrain mais aux ponts surprenants. On est loin des titres pops de "Life In Cartoon Motion" mais la production est remarquable. Parfaite introduction, le morceau fait rimer "cigarett" et "nicoret" le tout avec la voix vocodée de Mika, qui s'est offert les services de Empire Of The Sun pour la production.

Suit le titre "Celebrate" lancé en radios ce matin qui pourrait avoir le même destin qu' "Elle me dit" l'été dernier. Produit avec la complicité de Pharrell Williams, le titre dance/disco est ultra-efficace mais déstabilisera les amateurs des jolies mélodies au piano du francophile.

Les deux titres suivants ne les rassureront pas plus. Mika succombe à la mode électro avec l'enivrant "Overrated" taillé pour les clubs, l'explosif "Stardust" ou le sombre et nébuleux "Make You Happy" déjà dévoilé. Dans tous ces titres, Mika a travaillé avec de vrais musiciens, pas d'ordinateurs. La production n'est venue qu'après l'enregistrement nous a-t-il juré dans un entretien à paraitre sur Pure Charts.

Il faut attendre "Underwater" pour réentendre du piano. Ce titre marque une césure dans le disque et ouvre la voix à une seconde partie plus pop. La voix de Mika est "normale". « Cause all I need is the love you breath. But your lips on me, but I can't live underwater », chante le jeune d'origine libanaise dans un titre assez accrocheur. Beaucoup plus pop, "Lola" arrive en sixième plage. Un vrai tube. Un single potentiel qui ravira - pour le coup - les fans de Mika. Un titre écrit et produit en moins de quatre heures nous a confié le chanteur. Une magnifique balade à l'intro catchy où s'entrechoquent claquements de mains et chœurs.

Les deux titres suivants ont également attiré notre attention. "Step With Me" où Mika se pose des questions et se répond lui-même dans un jeu génial d'oppositions entre back vocals et vocals. "Step 1, Step 2, Step 3" décompte-t-il alors dans un titre porté par une mélodie guitare.

"Popular" clôt le disque. Un autre tube. Titre formidable où l'on retrouve une voix féminine, clin d’œil à son premier album. « Cause my song is popular » scande-t-il sur une rythmique piano entrainante. Mika l'a bien compris. Il est un artiste populaire, pop, grand public. Sa richesse, il a digéré les cinquante années de l'histoire de la pop. Ne manque que les trois titres français dont "Elle me dit" qui seront probablement sur un deuxième disque. Mika fait un pas en avant, entrouvre une porte sur le dance-floor sans s'y jeter à corps perdus. Pari gagné.

- by Steven Bellery