Mika

Alright, alright. So I'm not sure what the reaction is going to be like to this post. I want to tell y'all about another singer/songwriter who is huge-to say the least-in the UK. It always seems like any UK artist I hear about is always "huge overseas". But that's beside the point.

Mika's debut Life in Cartoon Motion (release date: March 27 in the US) has gotten mixed reviews so far on this side of the pond, and I figured I'd give my two cents. The first thing that comes to mind upon hearing Mika (pronounced Mee-Ka) is Elton John meets Freddie Mercury. Yea, let's go with that. Mika has got an incredible voice range, as seen in the song "Grace Kelly" which features him singing in 3 different octaves. And he loves the falsetto.

But as for the actual music itself, Mika's songwriting spreads the gamut from humor to social commentary. His songs are fun and jumpy, and dare I say, radio friendly. But overlook the overproduction of the album--concentrate on the fact that this guy is way too talented to be disregarded as Top 40 "rubbish". Upon listening to "Stuck in the Middle", I'm reminded of "Crocodile Rock"-era Elton John or even a "You Rock my World"-esque Michael Jackson. Pounding piano beats with willowing cheerful vocals does it every time for me I guess. I'm a sucker. And if you're looking for some good ol' fun, try "Big Girl You are Beautiful" which is about exactly what you're thinking.

I'm not going to say that this album is extraordinary, but it is certainly noteworthy. And as I mentioned before, it would be a shame to throw away an album just because it's popular. So join in on the fun and go get a copy of Life in Cartoon Motion.

Listen to "Stuck in the Middle" (4.7/5)
Listen to "Grace Kelly" (4.2/5) It's worth it for listening to his range.