Mika returns to his teenage bedroom (TBWKTM review)

[mariposa]

Review of TBWKTM from today, October 1, in the German newspaper "Die Welt".

 

http://www.welt.de/die-welt/kultur/article4692032/Der-Saenger-Mika-kehrt-in-sein-Jugendzimmer-zurueck.html

 

I translated the article 'cause I really like the way it is written.

 

translation

 

The singer Mika returns to his teenage bedroom

 

By Julian Mieth 1st Oktober 2009, 04:00

 

The second album of the BritPop-prodigy/wunderkind

 

Today no one demonstrates better than Mika that dealing with the past is a good way to trigger out colourful ideas. On his second album "The Boy Who Knew Too Much" this leads to a joyful imaginative circle of friends. Wind-up dolls in need of affection, talking cats, a crazy old man named Dr. John - in the playful pop songs you find the invisible friends of a traumatised young at heart.

 

Already on his debut album "Life in Cartoon Motion" two years ago, the London-based wunderkind dealt with his sad youth. At school, the son of a Lebanese mother and an American father was an outsider: due to his strange accent, his colourful clothes, his at that time stout figure/stature. Hard to imagine – today the curly head works alongside as a model. His mother took her son temporarily out of school and had him take singing lessons. That helped: By means of music he found his self-confidence and at the age of eleven he was already performing in front of a large audience on an opera stage.

 

But in everyday life Michael Penniman, Mika’s common name, stayed a scared oddball/nerd. "As a teenager, I was afraid to speak to people." The same person who turns into a screaming entertainer on stage admits that even today he quickly feels overstrained when being among people. "At parties I usually stand in the corner, waiting for that someone to start talking to me. That’s when I resent not being any braver."

 

Instead of confiding in a therapist Mika prefers working therapeutically on his own on his new record in public (millions of listeners). Heartache, hormonal boosts and identity - every aspect is dealt with here. This explains why his songs give the impression that you have just entered a teenager’s room. However, the 26-year-old knows how to put each and every graduation of feeling into an intelligent frame, and sounds at times appropriately like Freddy Mercury, at times like Elton John, Michael Jackson, the Scissor Sisters, and in his weaker moments still like Robbie Williams.

 

In "We Are Golden” the listener is faced with a bombastic overflowing joy of life. Mika tells his childhood dreams/the dreams of his youth and some tracks later, in the ballad “I see you”, he deals with voyeurism that is condemned to loneliness. Euphoria and lethargy are closely related in the emotional world of a teenager. But before writing his second album Mika was sinking into self doubts: Would he continue to stand up to (the reactions of) fans and critics?

 

It were, above all, his fantasy childhood friends, also pictured in the booklet, who helped him in the composing process. Dr. John from the song of the same title for example, the guy with a preference for chicken feathers, is said to already have helped Mika back then in many a difficult time. Or the doll in "Toy Boy" – a song coming up with violins, clarinets and flutes as reminiscence to the Disney film classics – complaining with a velvety voice about evil voodoo magic.

 

Mika loves theatrical effects: wide string arrangements, falsetto singing and gospel choirs can be found again and again in the wonderfully catchy melodies. However, the humorously told reflections also risk drowning in the maelstrom of chaotic grandstanding. But this effect is absolutely intended. Teenagers‘ insecurity is chased away best by loud disport/amusement. What would he do differently if he was 15 again? He wouldn’t be afraid of anything, says Mika, pauses for a moment, then adds laughing: " And I would take a lot of drugs, party and not apologise for one thing. "

 

Mika: The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Universal)

[CazGirl]

1. TALKING CATS?

2. Mika, never take drugs!

[Kodes100]

Thank you for posting mariposa.

Which song or what statement that Mika has made refers to "talking cats?"

I can't figure that one out even with making allowance for translation differences.

[silver]

The talking cats has me baffled too

 

But a nice review

[mariposa]

Thank you for posting mariposa.

Which song or what statement that Mika has made refers to "talking cats?"

I can't figure that one out even with making allowance for translation differences.

 

The talking cats has me baffled too

 

I know, that was also the part I was going Have I missed sth?

But it clearly says "sprechende Katzen", no idea what they are referring to.

[Marilyn Mastin]

Why is he saying he'd take drugs?

Someone needs to tell Mika to think before he speaks! He should never encourage drug taking, even if he means it as a joke!

[chickadee]

I'm glad it wasn't just me going ?? about the talking cats. I was beginning to think I'd missed something.

 

And I'm not overly impressed with the drug comments. The trouble is, it's easy to look back at 26 and say "Oh, I would have done this, that and the other", but it's possible that if he had done drugs and partied hard, he'd be dead. Equally possible that he wouldn't be the Mika he is today. Who knows? It's all a bit weird looking back in hindsight.

[Christine]

The trouble is, it's easy to look back at 26 and say "Oh, I would have done this, that and the other", but it's possible that if he had done drugs and partied hard, he'd be dead. Equally possible that he wouldn't be the Mika he is today. Who knows? It's all a bit weird looking back in hindsight.

 

ANYTHING is possible. Most people who do drugs do not end up dead.

 

And obviously if you were able to change your past you'd end up changing your present. That's part of the what-would-you-do-differently game and I'm sure he's just playing along with it, not regretting the choices he made in the past.

[Fmbm]

I don't like when he mentions drugs

 

 

Guess that's the old granny in me

[Marilyn Mastin]

I don't like when he mentions drugs

 

 

Guess that's the old granny in me

Especially because, in bringing out We Are Golden, he's set himself up as a role model for teenagers. Then to say if he could be a teen again, he'd take a lot of drugs, is irresponsible and he is setting himself up to be crucified by the tabloids.

For someone who's lips were tighter than a clamshell 2 years ago, he's coming out with some stupid comments now! First the shoplifting, then the illegal downloads (which he hopefully defused by saying he bought them afterwards) and now this.

I love the boy, but I am just about ready to give him a good shaking to put some sense into him and make him think before he speaks!!

Edited October 2, 2009 by Marilyn Mastin

[Gatagordinha]

Especially because, in bringing out We Are Golden, he's set himself up as a role model for teenagers. Then to say if he could be a teen again, he'd take a lot of drugs, is irresponsible and he is setting himself up to be crucified by the tabloids.

For womeone who's lips were tighter than a clamshell 2 years ago, he's coming out with some stupid comments now! First the shoplifting, then the illegal downloads (which he hopefully defused by saying he bought them afterwards) and now this.

I love the boy, but I am just about ready to give him a good shaking to put some sense into him and make him think before he speaks!!

 

I tend to agree.

 

If you even jokily condone drug use in this day and age you can expect to get jumped on by the tabloids, and there is no excuse. I won't have much sympathy for him, because by now he should know better.