Life in Cartoon Motion
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Life in Cartoon Motion | ||||
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File:MikaCartoonMotion.jpg | ||||
Studio album by Mika | ||||
Released | 5 February 2007 22 March 2007 (US) |
(UK)|||
Genre | ||||
Length | 46:16 | |||
Label | Island (United Kingdom) Casablanca (United States) FMR Warner Bros. (Australasia) |
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Producer | ||||
Mika chronology | ||||
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Singles from Life in Cartoon Motion | ||||
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Life in Cartoon Motion is the debut album released by British recording artist Mika. The album was produced by Greg Wells and Mika himself, mixed by Wells, with co-production on two songs by Jodi Marr and John Merchant. The album was released via Island Records on 5 February 2007 in the United Kingdom, and via Casablanca Records on 27 March 2007 in the United States. The album's lead single, "Grace Kelly", stayed at number one on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks straight and became a number-one hit in many countries. The album debuted at #1 in the United Kingdom, selling 7.8 million copies worldwide since its release.[1] The Life in Cartoon Motion album cover has since been used in a commercial for the iPod Touch. It was the ninth-best-selling album in the world during 2007.[2]
Contents
Background
Prior to obtaining his record deal, Mika sent demos to many record companies in Britain, but was never signed. One record label in particular claimed that Mika had a good voice, but insisted he write more conventional songs like Robbie Williams in order to become more commercial. Mika rejected this advice.[3][4][5] The song "Grace Kelly" was inspired by these problems. In 2006 Mika signed with Island Records and began recording his debut album. His musical influences are based in classical music.[5] Before Mika released his debut album he promised the media that "It was a magical world that you could live in. A parallel universe for people that is illusory and enchanting and amazing."[6] Some songs on the album are sexually ambiguous, prompting some questioning regarding Mika's sexuality. On this, Mika comments that he has no taboos about what he can use to tell a story or what stories he can actually tell. He believes that sexualizing music is great, but politically sexualizing music and making the artist's sexuality the defining point of someone's music is "boring".[4] He says about his own sexuality: "...laying myself out on the table to almost a tabloid level and kind of sharing my entire personal life, I'm really not into that."[4] The songs on the album have different subjects. "Grace Kelly", as stated before, is about the struggle of getting a record deal. Mika stated that the song is a very important song on the album mostly because:"...it's a flagpole for the record in terms of lyrical content and the whole pop vision I wanted to get across."[5] The cover for the album and booklet was designed by Mika's sister, Yasmine, who works under the pen name DaWack, Richard Hogg and Mika himself.[5] In March 2007 the album was released in the United States. Before its release there was much publicity about the album, mainly due to its success in Europe. Mika commented on the hype by saying: "I think I'm lucky. Hype can be good and hype can be bad. The good thing that's happening to me is that the hype is about the project, it's about the music ... I'm not the son of anyone famous, I haven't really slept with anyone particularly well known ... it's really just about music, and that's something I think is very healthy."[4]
Reception
Professional ratings | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [7] |
Drowned in Sound | (1/10)[8] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[9] |
The Guardian | [10] |
Observer Music Monthly | [11] |
Pitchfork Media | (1.5/10)[12] |
Robert Christgau | [13] |
Slant Magazine | [14] |
Stylus | D−[15] |
Rolling Stone | [16] |
Initial critical response to Life in Cartoon Motion was very mixed. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 55, based on 23 reviews.[17] In January 2007 it was considered the best new talent in the BBC's Sound of 2007 music poll.[18] About 130 music critics and broadcasters from the U.K. agreed that Mika was the sound of 2007.[3] It has received highly polarized reviews, earning one star from The Guardian[19] and four stars in the London Evening Standard.[20] The album received 1 out of 10 from the Drowned in Sound website,[21] and prompted Brian May of Queen, a fan of Mika, to criticise the website[22] for making unnecessary personal attacks at Mika.[23][24]
Release
The original version of the album, released in the United Kingdom and Europe on 5 February 2007, contains a total of twelve tracks, including the hidden track "Over My Shoulder" and the bonus track "Ring Ring". It also includes an enhanced section, with links to music videos and live performances, as well as other exclusive content. The version released via the iTunes Store in Europe featuring three additional acoustic recordings as bonus tracks. The American version of the album, released on 27 March 2007, is essentially the same as the British release, however, it includes the exclusive bonus track "Erase", not included on the original release. American versions of the album bought at Best Buy stores also carry two exclusive bonus tracks - acoustic versions of "Love Today" and "Satellite", while the American iTunes Store version also includes an exclusive acoustic version of "Grace Kelly". The version of the album released in Japan is essentially the same as the original British release, however, it also includes the American exclusive track "Erase", as well as the Japanese exclusive track "Your Sympathy", as well an enhanced element containing the music video for "Grace Kelly".
The demo version of the album, issued to media journalists and critics, has a very different tracklisting to any of the main versions of the albums. It does not include the tracks "Lollipop", "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" and "Over My Shoulder", but does include the Japanese only bonus track "Your Sympathy", as well as including "Gave It All Away", Mika's original version of the track, before it was given to Boyzone. Mika's version had never appeared on any other release, until the release of the Asian Tour Edition in March 2008, which includes the eleven standard tracks from the British album, the European bonus track "Ring Ring", "Gave It All Away" from the demo version, "Erase" from the American version, "Your Sympathy" from the Japanese edition, and the B-side recordings "Satellite", "One Lonely One" and "Instant Martyr". The album was also packed with a bonus disc, including six acoustic recordings, four live recordings, and the single mix of "Happy Ending".
Track listing
Standard edition | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Grace Kelly" |
|
3:07 |
2. | "Lollipop" | Mika | 3:03 |
3. | "My Interpretation" |
|
3:35 |
4. | "Love Today" | Mika | 3:55 |
5. | "Relax (Take It Easy)" |
|
4:30 |
6. | "Any Other World" | Mika | 4:19 |
7. | "Billy Brown" | Mika | 3:14 |
8. | "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" | Mika | 4:08 |
9. | "Stuck in the Middle" | Mika | 4:08 |
10. | "Happy Ending" | Mika | 4:45 |
11. | "Over My Shoulder" (Hidden Track) | Mika | 4:45 |
European bonus track[25] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
12. | "Ring Ring" |
|
2:50 |
iTunes Store bonus tracks[26] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
13. | "Grace Kelly" (Acoustic) |
|
3:09 |
14. | "Stuck in the Middle" (Acoustic) | Mika | 3:56 |
15. | "
|
|
3:03 |
American edition[27] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Grace Kelly" |
|
3:07 |
2. | "Lollipop" | Mika | 3:03 |
3. | "My Interpretation" |
|
3:35 |
4. | "Love Today" | Mika | 3:55 |
5. | "Relax, Take It Easy" |
|
4:30 |
6. | "Ring Ring" |
|
2:50 |
7. | "Any Other World" | Mika | 4:19 |
8. | "Billy Brown" | Mika | 3:14 |
9. | "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" | Mika | 4:08 |
10. | "Stuck in the Middle" | Mika | 4:08 |
11. | "Erase" |
|
3:38 |
12. | "Happy Ending" | Mika | 4:45 |
13. | "Over My Shoulder" (Hidden Track) | Mika | 4:45 |
Best Buy edition bonus tracks[28] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
14. | "Love Today" (Acoustic) | Mika | 2:58 |
15. | "Satellite" (Acoustic) | Mika | 4:13 |
US iTunes Store bonus track[29] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
14. | "Grace Kelly" (Acoustic) |
|
3:09 |
Japanese edition[30] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Grace Kelly" |
|
3:07 |
2. | "Lollipop" | Mika | 3:03 |
3. | "My Interpretation" |
|
3:35 |
4. | "Love Today" | Mika | 3:55 |
5. | "Relax, Take It Easy" |
|
4:30 |
6. | "Ring Ring" |
|
2:50 |
7. | "Any Other World" | Mika | 4:19 |
8. | "Billy Brown" | Mika | 3:14 |
9. | "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" | Mika | 4:08 |
10. | "Stuck in the Middle" | Mika | 4:08 |
11. | "Erase" |
|
3:38 |
12. | "Your Sympathy" |
|
3:17 |
13. | "Happy Ending" | Mika | 4:45 |
14. | "Over My Shoulder" (Hidden Track) | Mika | 4:45 |
Demo version[31] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Love Today" | Mika | 3:55 |
2. | "Grace Kelly" |
|
3:07 |
3. | "Your Sympathy" |
|
3:17 |
4. | "Happy Ending" | Mika | 4:45 |
5. | "Billy Brown" | Mika | 3:14 |
6. | "Ring Ring" |
|
2:50 |
7. | "My Interpretation" |
|
3:35 |
8. | "Stuck in the Middle" | Mika | 4:08 |
9. | "Any Other World" | Mika | 4:19 |
10. | "Relax, Take It Easy" |
|
4:30 |
11. | "Gave It All Away" |
|
4:17 |
Asian Tour Edition: Disc 1[32] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Grace Kelly" |
|
3:07 |
2. | "Lollipop" | Mika | 3:03 |
3. | "My Interpretation" |
|
3:35 |
4. | "Love Today" | Mika | 3:55 |
5. | "Relax, Take It Easy" |
|
4:30 |
6. | "Any Other World" | Mika | 4:19 |
7. | "Billy Brown" | Mika | 3:14 |
8. | "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" | Mika | 4:08 |
9. | "Stuck in the Middle" | Mika | 4:08 |
10. | "Happy Ending" | Mika | 4:45 |
11. | "Over My Shoulder" | Mika | 4:45 |
12. | "Ring Ring" |
|
2:50 |
13. | "Erase" |
|
3:38 |
14. | "Your Sympathy" |
|
3:17 |
15. | "Gave It All Away" |
|
4:17 |
16. | "Satellite" | Mika | 4:15 |
17. | "Only Lonely One" | Mika | 3:43 |
18. | "Instant Martyr" |
|
3:02 |
Asian Tour Edition: Disc 2[32] | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Grace Kelly" (Acoustic) |
|
3:09 |
2. | "Stuck in the Middle" (Acoustic) | Mika | 3:56 |
3. | "Relax, Take It Easy" (Acoustic) |
|
3:03 |
4. | "Love Today" (Acoustic) | Mika | 2:58 |
5. | "Satellite" (Acoustic) | Mika | 4:13 |
6. | "Billy Brown" (Acoustic) | Mika | 3:14 |
7. | "Standing in the Way of Control" (Live from Radio 1's Big Weekend) | Beth Ditto | 4:14 |
8. | "I Want You Back" (Live from L'Olympia, Paris) |
|
4:02 |
9. | "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (Live from Radio 1's Big Weekend) |
|
3:23 |
10. | "Lollipop" (Live from L'Olympia, Paris) | Mika | 3:41 |
11. | "Happy Ending" (The L.A. Edit) | Mika | 3:41 |
Personnel
- MIKA – keyboards, backing vocals, percussion, piano, guitar, programming
- Greg Wells – producer, mixer, guitar, bass, drums, programming, percussion, keyboards
- Tim Pierce – guitar
- Dylan Schiavone – guitar
- Lyle Workman – guitar
- Dan Rothchild – bass
- Matt Chamberlain – drums
- Derek Cintron – percussion
- Fabien-Waltmann – programming
- Backing vocals by: Zuleika Penniman, Paloma Penniman, Fortuné Penniman, Audrey Moukataff, Alexander Millar and Ida Falk
Orchestra
- Larry Corbett – cello
- Lee Thornburg – horns
- The Spoon Orchestra of Chiswick – orchestra
- Studio Gospel Choir – backing vocals
- Maxi Anderson – choir leader
- Paul Buckmaster – string arrangement
- Jerry Hey – brass arrangement
Production
- Jodi Marr – producer, percussion
- John Merchant – producer, recording engineer
- Joe Zook – recording engineer
- Carlos Alvarez – recording engineer
- Joe Chiccarelli – recording engineer
- Chris Nicoladies – recording engineer
- Drew Pearson – recording engineer
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
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References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mika's Rise and Shine OhMyNews.com. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Q&A: Mika, the latest singing sensation from across the pond Associated Press. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Miriam Zendle Interview with Mika Digital Spy. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Linda McGee Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion RTÉ. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/MIKA-Life-In-Cartoon-Motion/release/906414
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/MIKA-Life-In-Cartoon-Motion/release/3357897
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/MIKA-Life-In-Cartoon-Motion/release/943773
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/MIKA-Life-In-Cartoon-Motion/release/4162579
- ↑ http://www.discogs.com/MIKA-Various-Tracks/release/2038017
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Argentina. Universal Music Argentina.[dead link]
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Ultratop.be – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Mika – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Mika. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Mika: Life In Cartoon Motion" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 21, 2007". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ↑ "Mika | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ "Mika – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Mika. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ↑ [1][dead link]
- ↑ [2][dead link]
- ↑ [3][dead link]
- ↑ [4][dead link]
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Mika in the field Interpret. Enter Life in Cartoon Motion in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Select the "Chart", enter ' in the field "Year". Select ' in the field "Semana". Click on "Search Charts"
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Life in Cartoon Motion in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- Articles with dead external links from September 2010
- Articles with dead external links from June 2014
- Articles with dead external links from December 2011
- Use dmy dates from February 2013
- Use British English from February 2013
- Pages with broken file links
- Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters
- Articles with unsourced statements from June 2014
- Certification Table Entry usages for Argentina
- Certification Table Entry usages for Australia
- Certification Table Entry usages for Austria
- Certification Table Entry usages for Belgium
- Certification Table Entry usages for Canada
- Certification Table Entry usages for France
- Certification Table Entry usages for Germany
- Certification Table Entry usages for Hungary
- Certification Table Entry usages for Italy
- Certification Table Entry usages for Ireland
- Certification Table Entry usages for Japan
- Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand
- Certification Table Entry usages for Portugal
- Certification Table Entry usages for Russia
- Certification Table Entry usages for Spain
- Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden
- Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland
- Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom
- Certification Table Entry usages for Europe
- Mika (singer) albums
- 2007 albums
- Festival Records albums
- Mushroom Records albums
- Warner Bros. Records albums
- Albums produced by Greg Wells