Mika: Life In Cartoon Motion

I don't know what else to say apart from Mika sucks and his music sucks.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g239/thereweresides/mika.jpg

The single is good.

would get a great review on DiS.

that sends me over the edge is when it sings 'kelleh' instead of kelly. AARRRRGHHHHH!!!

...sounds about right.

really is the modern Leo Sayer! watch out for duet!

Great review. The only good thing about this record is the cover. Sagoi!

...I haven't heard this particular track yet but after the review I am afraid, truly afraid. I'll be in my basement with 600 tins and a tommy gun for company to see out this year methinks. Oh, and a tin-opener...

being so negative about music.

but his voice is disgusting. we don't need another leo sayer/bee gees type...those lyrics, totally brilliant ;( not.

i'm so glad i have parents who like led zep and not this tat!

I remember a few years back when all pop music seemed to be Westlife and other smilarly drab acts doing drab bland songs wth no imagination whatsoever.

Whislt I don't think Grace Kelly is a great song, I do appreciate the fact it's camp, silly, over-the-top and seems to have a bit of imagination and life to it.

I'm not gonna claim Mika's great 'cos he isn't (I quite like "Relax" though) but, given the choice between camp OTT at the top of the charts or dull blandards like Razorlight or Leona Lewis, I know what I'd choose.

Guy releases pop record and gets savaged by indier-than-thou teenagers and twenty somethings on the internet.

Why aren't I surprised that noboddy likes this? Or perhaps more accurately, noboddy thinks they should like it because that would be "uncool".

Personally, I don't think it's great but it's not bad either, if you look at it as just a pop record. Fun.

Wouldn't listen to this often though.

New Explosions in the Sky record, ennit. Is that cool enough?

...but people whose opinion I respect have said it's the best number one in ages and others have hated it. I'm usually a big fan of opinion-polarising stuff...

Must go and hear it and make own mind up.

Spose i should be ashamed of myself then as i'm currently marketing this man. Unfortunately though i need to pay my rent...
Not too fussed about the record myself but good to see that its stirring such passion in some.

i do love the single actually, but everything i've heard about the rest of the album puts me off. sounds like scissor sisters (who i dont like) with less sense and a massive superiority complex

Gareth Dobson, you sad little man, get a life!!! If you were creative and even alittle talented I'd love people to rip your work apart!!! shame on you!!

Does anyone remember the band Mika Bomb? Now there's an idea.

i should be the bigger person and walk away. but when leroy_brown says "volcabulary" part of me wants to snigger and go DUHBRAIN. a small mrkettle i may be. but i didnt buy the mika record. which is why shall sleep safe.

was how my first sentence was meant to come across, shame Mr Leroy Brown couldn't quite gauge that. Anyhow, back to the soulless life of advertising...

was how my first sentence was meant to come across, shame Mr Leroy Brown couldn't quite gauge that. Anyhow, back to the soulless life of advertising...

http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssb.html

And more proof that DiS is full of pretentious wankers.

Where does the reviewer find such venim? Even snakes carry so much...

Directing these poison-coated, strictly personal and distinctly subjective comments at such a capable young musician as Mika denotes an envy-driven, blood-sucking, evil, unaccountable persona with no friends and time to spare.

Such "music reviewers" remind me of those "wine critics" who cannot tell good wine from good vinegar and yet write prolific reviews, damning all and sundry (especially the better wines, it makes them look cool and unafraid).

I found the review pathetic, more telling of the state of British press than the state of British pop music. It is a blessing indeed that I have been granted ears of my own and don't have to rely on the interpretation of green-eyed, openly spiteful, unaccountable "critics" of Gareth Dobson's ilk--a little snake he may be, but boy does he carry venim!

Just to let you know, Queen actually influenced quite a few more bands than "Mika, The Darkness, and Razorlight." Do some research, and you'll find that many modern bands cite queen as an influence.

Also, saying that they "churned out the same dad-rock cliches with a pop twist," is simply not true considering the many genres they featured on their albums including rock, punk, opera, classical, ragtime, jazz, flamenco, gospel, funk, disco, folk, and Caribbean music.

Of course you're probably basing your opinion on hearing only "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You," and "We are the Champions," because that's pretty much all Queen wrote isn't it?

... do you have a job or just spend your time arguing the toss? You're going round in circles- concede the point and move on. You'll feel much better I assure you.

Alex? is it?, my apologies if not. You and the idiot that wrote this piece seem to have alot in common!!! yes your articulate, congratulations!!! (this does not give you the right to insult other people's articulation, It just makes you sound like an arrogant little boy!!!) the argument seems to be freedom of speech, well that goes for other people not just you. So you have an opinion on Mika, good for you (no I am not a Mika fan) but when you TRY to argue the point on music you CLEARLY know nothing about (Queen) you should keep your opinions to yourself because, In my opinion for what it's worth, you just come accross as a niave, Ignorant, daft little boy who resorts to insults as a cover for knowing sod all!!!! So you liked the 'review' (is that what it was?) good for you, others didn't, but it seems that they didn't have to resort to cheap Insults to try to get there point across. Why don't you grow up and if you insist on haveing your articulate debate's learn how adults do it.

I won't post just once.

Since my first post had nothing to do with the actual review, I guess I'll give my opinion. Personally, I disagree with the 1/10 rating, but that's just my opinion, so arguing whether it's good or not is pointless. I respect Dobson's opinion of the album but not his presentation of it.

As others have said, the first paragraph is completely irrelevant to the music, and a good critic would have left it out.

The second through fifth paragraphs are reasonably well written, and I completely agree with his take on "Lollipop."

The remainder of the review returns to the pointless bashing of the album. It gives no real insight to why it deserves a 1/10 and should have been left out. Dobson doesn't seem to understand that musical enjoyment is based on opinion, as he shames everyone who buys this album. Overall, it is a decent review, but it could have been much better.

His album's brilliant, and so his the man Mika himself. How sad that many of you are too cynical and afraid of being 'uncool' to admit this. Diana

Yes, that is true, but I think a music review should be about the music itself, not about how the musician looks. I could care less what someone looks like, as long as I like the music. Anyway, the review didn't dwell on his appearance, so it didn't bother me to much. I still think it should have been left out though.

Brian May layed into you in his blog

if DiS knew the album wasn't very good in the first place.
then surely, theres no point in revewing it, just to take the piss out of the guy.
i mean, that review could have taken the place of an album that may have actually been seen as an important record in some peoples eyes.

I personally thought the album rocked! I usually listen to the likes on In Flames and Cradle of Filth, but I have to say I really enjoyed this album. It does exactly what it says on the tin, by delivering a top drawer pop/rock album that everyone will love. So there.

Whoever wrote this review and whoever agrees with it is sad! Yeah you may not like the music but to Mika it's the only way of expressing his true person. If you read or watch some interviews or even take time to get to know Mika and listen to his songs carefully you'll see that his music goes a lot deeper than camp, silliness, and OTT drama queen. As for whoever wrote the review (not important enough to remember your name) you suck and should really find a new job because you suck at this one!

I find it funny that you all claim to be human, when what you all really sound like is a pack of hungry wolves ready and willing to rip anyone who goes against the majority into shreds. A diseased Leo Sayer? Mika's fucking gorgeous! And I'd like to see what you look like as compared to him. If you have even the slightest hint of good looks, the venom beneath your hateful skin immediately overrules it. You don't even know the half of what real art is and what he is really made out of. At least he has the balls to get up and do something different instead of walloping on his ass bashing other artists who just want to make music and get away from the bitches that put them down before. And believe me, I'm just ready for someone to say "If he even has balls". The only way I can think of him not having any would be because you've already ripped them off with your cruel hands just for a little laugh. Have you been recognized and praised by Brian May lately? Hell no, and I'm looking forward to the day that you come to realize that not everyone speaks such vile phrases of negativity about someone just because they go against what a lot of people believe to be normal. I love his album, I love him, and this is all with or without you being an ass hat about it. So I'll go back to his fan club, sucking on a lollipop because that's what Mikalovers with no taste and horrible judgement do, because everybody's gonna love today, and we tried to be like Grace Kelly but the only looks we got back from the indie snobs were those of shit. Have a good day! P.S. Write me when you plan on jumping off that building. I and the rest of his fan club shall be waiting to catch every single record you drop.

Mika is fantastic! His music is so fun, refreshing, doesn't take itself seriously. It is such a joy to hear this record from start to finish. His lyrics are clever and engaging "I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky, I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like, gotta be green, gotta be mean, gotta be everything more..why don't you like me, why don't you like yourself..?"
At least the guy can write his own songs (unlike Robbie W,), sing (unlike Kylie, Bono, Chris Martin, Madonna, Robbie etc), can perform with a naturalness on stage and in front of the camera (unlike others who are try-hards like Kylie)he reminds me of a young Freddie.
This reviewer (Gareth) is just a sad, jealous old fart who will never have a tenth of the talent of Mika. And that goes for all the sad f---s who say anything bad about this wonderful singer. His record and single are at the top of the charts because a helluva lot of people LOVE him!! These are the ones who can appreciate good music when they hear it and a true talent when they see one.
Hey Acquiescence why don't you try and write music, sing it and release it if you can judge so harshly. And btw, is there anything else in your vocabulary instead of "sucks"? Hmm, I think you need to get an IQ implant. Mika scores a 10/10.
Alex you're "Death on Two Legs" (killjoy, dog with disease, king of the sleaze, mr. know-all, leech, sewer rat) Queen are better than those bands from the 70s you listed. They were highly original, brilliant musicians, Freddie had the best vocal skills ever..EVER, my god how he could manipulate his voice to perfection! He could sing any style..hard-rock, funk, blues, rockabilly, opera, ballads, pop, vaudeville and make you FEEL the emotions behind each song...Their songs don't have the regurgitated same soundness like the Doors, INXS, U2, Coldplay, Bon Jovi etc, these bands have "one sound", they don't or didn't experiment with other forms of music like Queen did. They blew everyone else away at LIVE AID..rightly so, even the other artists conceded that they stole the show..Bob Geldof said they were the best that day and more than a billion people witnessed the magic of Queen. It has gone down in history as the best live performance ever. None of those bands you mentioned ie Pink Floyd, Doors et al, have not achieved this kind of mega success. Queen just outclasses every other band. And that is why they filled all those stadiums. They have the record of attracting the biggest paying-audience ever which was held in Brazil (over 250,000 at one show) and then over 120,000 more turned out at Knebworth in '86. No other band or artist could pull off numbers like that.

Ooops!..sorry about the double negative in my post..it should read: "None of those bands you mentioned ie Pink Floyd, Doors et al, HAVE achieved this kind of mega success"

Hey Gareth (whoever you are ie a nobody who is one of nature's misfortunes, talentless and a try-hard at sounding eloquent) why don't you try to release an album before you spread your vileness around. Why don't you try to see what it would be like to release something you created and be open to possible attack from the critics. I think you're the diseased one, you got mad cow disease or something?

As Brian May so kindly writes in his blog:

"Good God ! Another nasty piece of work in Drowned In Sound. What is it about journalism which attracts the filthiest scum of the Earth? What decent person could write something so despicably and nonsensically insulting as calling someone a "diseased Leo Sayer"? I don't even want to get into the rest of this manifestly stupid article.

This young guy Mika is just starting out, and has, by his own talent and hard work, already caused a splash. Why do these pitiful writers feel the need to try to vilify him, and bring him down? By all means criticise the music, if you really think you know better than he does. But these personal insults tell us nothing about anyone, except the diseased, jealous brain of the writer.

I wonder what YOU look like, Gareth Dobson, you fabulous intellectual giant, you. You'd better be good looking, writing garbage like this. Even if you were, you would still be worthy of nothing but our contempt. Take my advice. Get a proper job. Make something of your own that gives pleasure to people; have the courage to put YOUR creativity on the line - and see what treatment YOU get from the 'critics' of the world. Meanwhile... shame on you."

I think he's bloody right, the good old Brian. If you don't have anything nice and/or correct to say, then keep your big fat mouth shut Gareth Dobson. How do you sleep at night ?

MIKA IS GREAT ! (And looks beautiful, and writes very very amaing lyrics, btw)

Anyone who starts a music review by criticizing a guys looks isn't worth bothering with.
Mika makes light feel good pop songs that aren't hurting anyone so give the guy a break.
You maybe should give up music journalism because you're obviously not up to the task.
I hear McDonalds are hiring again, you might be in with a chance.

P.S.
Way to go to Brian May, i fall at your feet and kiss your clogs mate

If you're going to rip apart an artist, at least do it creatively and, you know, with some grasp of English.

*When Artist is "insert simile here" "Something about life, or career, or love" sucks/is hard enough* has to be the most unoriginal insults out there. You might as well have said "He looks bad and he SMELLS!" It's fine on sites like Something Awful where the entire site is one big satire but from a semi-respectable community? It makes it harder to differentiate you from the hordes of screaming teenyboppers.

And what happened when you actually started to talk about why you think the album sucks? You really must have been pouring over the thesaurus on all of those different words you could try! "Benign saccharine filth"? Brilliant! You must get a hard on every time you look at yourself. And trying to connect it all back on his "Coyote-ish features"? Way to go for the painfully obvious faulty syllogism!

Look, I don't care whether or not you think he's a God or if you think he's shit. I can easily see how people see why his voice is annoying, trust me. But in the first paragraph alone you only make yourself out to be nothing more than an intellectual wank while giving off that lingering feeling of "Get to the fucking point."

Either learn to review or get another job.

Thanks,

Rickycat

Here's my land in the sand. Here be beauty - There be nostalgic degenerates (and Brian May).

a) How a band looks can be more important than how they play.

and

b) A band that can't play is better than one that can.

and

Gareth Dobson is the best rock and roll writer of his generation.

Love,

jog_on_tom

x

Extremely talented singer and song writer. If he was really that bad, he wouldn't have won 4 awards at the World Music Awards.

When will you Americans start to have an ear for good music?

You know that he, his fans and musical industry don't give a f*ck about your opinions, don't you?

If you're being serious, then you have very poor ears, and you don't know enough about music to post an article. Not ethical...

If you're just tryin' to be a pain in the as*, let me tell you nobody cares about that.

In a few words: you just wasted time.

Next time, try to do something productive with it. Just a suggestion. :)

VERO

haha I think this is funny because I know many many people like MIKA and you know most of his fans don't really care either about this because in the end we truely know what his songs and lyrics are about and we appreciate them. Mika doesn't pick up his pencil or whatever to write about "fat Girls"..the song is something much much more! like accepting yourself for who you are and not careing what other people think. And I won't even start about Billy Brown because I know if I try to explain it you won't understand. Or you won't want to understand.

also Mika won't even mind this because he takes in the good and the bad news. he will take this and make his 2nd album even more awesome then Life In cartoon Motion. Then he will have 2 albums sold in every country to millions and millions of fans.

You know what, Shame on the person who wrote this. Shame on them.

and why don't we all cheer up and not take things to litteral.

You rock MIKA!

Why do people insist on comparing artists to others? So what if they are similar? Is it a crime now to be inspired? You try and release a no.1 album before criticising someone who actually has.
"About 130 music critics and broadcasters from the U.K. agreed that Mika was the sound of 2007"
Some kind of critic you are.