The Boy Who Knew Too Much (album) explained

The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Type:studio
Artist:Mika
Cover:Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much (album).jpg
Released:21 September 2009
Recorded:June 2008–2009
Studio:Capitol Studios
(Los Angeles, California)
Olympic Studios
(London, England)
Rocket Carousel Studio
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre:Pop
Length:41:06
Prev Title:Songs for Sorrow
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:The Origin of Love
Next Year:2012

The Boy Who Knew Too Much[1] is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Mika. It was released on 21 September 2009,[2] under Casablanca/Universal Republic in the United States and Island in the United Kingdom.

Background

Mika worked with producer Greg Wells, who also produced his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion. The album was written in Olympic Studios, London, which began in June 2008. In September 2008 he moved to Rocket Carousel Studios, Los Angeles, where the album was recorded.[3] Mika has described the album's themes as dealing with his teenage years, and "in a sense is kind of part two" of his first album.[4] In contrast to his first album, which "contained innocent fairytales", Mika pitches the new album's songs as "gothic Tim Burton-esque fantasies."[5]

The album was originally titled We Are Golden after the first single from the album, "We Are Golden". On 20 July 2009 in an on-air interview with DJ Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 1, Mika revealed he was considering renaming the album, because he wanted "something a little more ridiculous."[6] On 6 August 2009 it was confirmed that the album's title would change to The Boy Who Knew Too Much.[7] As with Mika's debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, the album artwork has been designed by Mika's sister (who works under the nom de plume DaWack), the Australian illustrator Sophie Blackall, Airside collaborator Richard Hogg and Mika himself. The artwork has been inspired by children's picture books from the 1940s to 1970s.[8]

Critical response

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 70/100 from Metacritic.[9]

Singles

Personnel

Additional musicians

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2009)Peak
position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF)[18] 6
Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)45
Mexican Albums (AMPROFON)[19] 29

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 40
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] 41
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 77
European Top 100 Albums (Billboard)[23] 49
French Albums (SNEP)[24] 12
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 60
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 99

Certifications

Release history

CountryDate
Hong Kong[28] 5 September 2009
Netherlands16 September 2009
France18 September 2009
Australia
Germany
Italy
Ireland
United Kingdom21 September 2009
Argentina[29]
Mexico
South Korea[30]
United States22 September 2009
Brazil
Canada
South Korea (Korean Special Edition)[31] 27 May 2010
Hong Kong (Asia Tour Edition)[32] 2 June 2010
South Korea (Asia Tour Edition)[33] 15 June 2010

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mika | Official Store | Merchandise, T-shirts, Tickets, Albums, MP3 Downloads, Live Album, Posters, Bags, Mikasounds.com . Mikastore.sandbag.uk.com . 2009-09-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090916114944/http://mikastore.sandbag.uk.com/Store/DisplayItems-5-0-0.html . 16 September 2009.
  2. Medioni, Gilles (11 June 2009). "Exclu Mika: tout sur son nouveau CD... et sa playlist", L'Express. Retrieved on 2009-07-08.
  3. Allen, Matt (1 June 2009). "Exclusive: Mika's Second Coming ", Q Magazine. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  4. Mazumdar, Tulip (9 June 2009). "Mika pens 'teenage' second album", BBC Radio 1. Retrieved on 2009-07-08.
  5. News: Youngs . Ian . Entertainment | Mika conquers his growing pains . BBC News . 21 September 2009 . 2009-09-27.
  6. News: BBC — Newsbeat — Music — Mika promises fans 'gig at home' . BBC News . 20 July 2009 . 2009-09-27.
  7. Web site: MikaSounds / Latest News / The Boy Who Knew Too Much . Mikasounds.com . 2009-09-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090810234034/http://www.mikasounds.com/news/view/613/The_Boy_Who_Knew_Too_Much . 10 August 2009.
  8. Web site: MikaSounds / Blog / YO YO! Enough marketing psychobable dish dash! Now I write . Mikasounds.com . 15 July 2009 . 2009-09-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090814014159/http://www.mikasounds.com/blog/post/589/YO_YO_Enough_marketing_psychobable_dish_dash_Now_I_write . 14 August 2009.
  9. Web site: The Boy Who Knew Too Much reviews at . Metacritic.com . 22 September 2009 . 2012-09-11.
  10. Web site: iTunes releases Mika's second single "Rain". apple.com. 28 March 2022.
  11. Web site: Rain by MIKA: Amazon.co.uk: Music. Amazon UK.
  12. Web site: MikaSounds / Latest News / Mika Set To 'Rain' Supreme . Mikasounds.com . 2010-05-23.
  13. Web site: Hitlist Germany . 28 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100214150942/http://www.mtv.de/charts/germany . 14 February 2010 . dead.
  14. News: Shepherd . Fiona . CD review: Mika — The Boy Who Knew Too Much — Scotsman.com News . News.scotsman.com . 2009-09-21. 2009-09-27 . Edinburgh.
  15. Web site: Radio Times - TV listings guide. RadioTimes.
  16. Web site: MikaSounds / Latest News / Next Single - 'Blame It On The Girls' - Out February 15th . Mikasounds.com . 2010-05-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120726172539/http://mikasounds.com/news/view/750/Next_Single_-_Blame_It_On_The_Girls_-_Out_February_15th/ . 26 July 2012.
  17. Web site: Topul celor mai difuzate piese în România în 2010 . . Romanian . 21 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110106055506/http://www.romanialibera.ro/arte/muzica/exclusiv-topul-celor-mai-difuzate-piese-in-romania-in-2010-211604.html . 6 January 2011.
  18. Web site: Representando a la Industria Argentina de la Música . CAPIF . 31 January 2010 . 2010-05-23 . dead . https://archive.today/20090415000451/http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?CodOp=ESCS&CO=6 . 15 April 2009.
  19. Web site: Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much . mexicancharts.com . 2010-05-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101008035151/http://mexicancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Mika&titel=The+Boy+Who+Knew+Too+Much&cat=a . 8 October 2010 . dead.
  20. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2009. Ultratop. 30 September 2020.
  21. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2009. Ultratop. 30 September 2020.
  22. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2009. dutchcharts.nl. 30 September 2020.
  23. European Top 100 Albums. 31 December 2010. Billboard.
  24. Web site: Le Top de l'année : Top Albums Fusionnés - Année 2009. 10 June 2013. . 21 February 2015.
  25. Web site: Swiss Year-End Charts 2009 . swisscharts.com . 6 February 2009.
  26. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009. Official Charts Company. 30 September 2020.
  27. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2010. SNEP. fr. 30 September 2020.
  28. http://moov.hk/moovnow/music/album/albumdetail.do?contributorid=&roleid=&albumid=VAUN00018142A
  29. http://www.universalmusic.com.ar/newswindow.aspx?298#
  30. Web site: HYANG MUSIC 향뮤직. Hyangmusic.com. 28 March 2022.
  31. Web site: HYANG MUSIC 향뮤직. Hyangmusic.com. 28 March 2022.
  32. Web site: YESASIA : The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Asia Tour Edition) (2CD+Tofu) 鐳射唱片 - MIKA, 環球唱片(香港) - 西方／世界音樂 - 郵費全免. Yesasia.com. 28 March 2022.
  33. Web site: HYANG MUSIC 향뮤직 : The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Asia Tour Edition) . Hyangmusic.com. 30 August 2023.

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