Track-by-Track: Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much

I have a list of albums that I've been wanting to review, and I keep telling myself that I will write them up. And I will. Eventually. For today, here's the new one from Mika, out this week.

1. We Are Golden - The first single, this really represents the direction that I hoped that this album would go. Big, bombastic, choral. I still love this track, though maybe not as much as I did a month or so ago. The album version has a slightly longer ending. It doesn't really change anything. 10/10

2. Blame It On The Girls - Beginning with an unnecessary spoken bit, the track quickly launches into a stomping, singalong dance track. Among the more addictive material on the album, this is the next single (or so I've heard). 9/10

3. Rain - The Stuart Price produced masterpiece of the album, this is a thrilling, lush electronic dance track that uses Mika's sometimes grating vocals to their best effect. Definitely the Relax of this album. 10/10

4. Dr. John - A campy, Elton John-esque uptempo track that fluctuates between endearing fun and annoying filler each time I listen to it. Right now I'm quite liking it, though. 7/10

5. I See You - The middle-of-the-road ballad of the album. There is one later on that's much better and one that's worse, so I guess this is just sorta there. Background vocals are nice, though. 6/10

6. Blue Eyes - I loved this song on the Songs For Sorrow EP and was slightly irritated to find it on the album rather than a new song, but it's still very nice. A breezier, more organic sound. 8/10

7. Good Gone Girl - Certainly catchy, but it also represents the annoying part of Mika's shtick. It's a little theatrical. And by little, I mean dramatically. Now I love drama in music, but this is a little annoying. 5/10

8. Touches You - This is more like it! Back to the choral sound of the first track, this isn't quite as strong, but the drama in this one feels more appropriate. It's got a harder edge to it. I like that. 8/10

9. By The Time - This is the ballad I was talking about earlier, the best of the bunch by far. Very pretty melody on this one, and one of Mika's best slower songs. His voice sounds very nice here. 9/10

10. One Foot Boy - Another very catchy uptempo track with some great, subtle hooks. I'll repeat the word subtle, because of all the uptempo tracks here this one doesn't call attention to itself. It's more addicting because of that. 9/10

11. Toy Boy - This worked alright on the EP, but it's a little annoying here. Again, it's Mika's theatricality at its most grating. Putting the lyrics aside, it sounds like it was written for a Disney move in the 1950's. 6/10

12. Pick Up Off The Floor - This is the other ballad I was talking about earlier, the one that doesn't work so well. Honestly, I skip it most of the time. The falsetto is irritating and there's not enough of a melody to keep me coming back for more. 4/10

13. Loverboy - Slightly better, though this feels very much like a b-side (I believe it was, earlier, wasn't it?). It's uptempo, I guess, but devoid of energy. Not a favorite. 5/10

Album Grade: 7.4/10