Life in Cartoon Motion explained

Life in Cartoon Motion
Type:studio
Artist:Mika
Cover:MikaCartoonMotion.jpg
Recorded:2006
Label:Casablanca
Producer:
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Life in Cartoon Motion is the debut album released by British singer-songwriter Mika. The album was produced by Greg Wells, mixed by Wells, with co-production on two songs by Jodi Marr and John Merchant. The album was released via Casablanca Records on 5 February 2007 in the United Kingdom, and on 27 March 2007 in the United States.

Life in Cartoon Motion was the #9 top selling album in the world in 2007.[1] The album's lead single, "Grace Kelly", stayed at number one on the UK Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks and became a worldwide number-one hit.

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. The song "Grace Kelly" was inspired by these problems. In 2006 Mika signed with Casablanca Records[2] and began recording his debut album. His musical influences are based in classical music.[3]

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."[4] Some songs on the album are sexually ambiguous, which prompted some questioning regarding Mika's sexuality. On this, Mika commented that he has no taboos about what he can use to tell a story or what stories he can actually tell, and said that while he believes that sexualising music is great, politically sexualising music and making the artist's sexuality the defining point of someone's music is "boring". He said 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." 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 important because "it's a flagpole for the record in terms of lyrical content and the whole pop vision I wanted to get across."[3]

The cover for the album and booklet were designed by Mika's sister, Yasmine, who works under the pen name DaWack, Richard Hogg and Mika himself.[3] 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."[5]

Reception

Initial critical response to Life in Cartoon Motion was generally mixed. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 55, based on 23 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". In January 2007, Mika was considered the best new talent in the BBC's Sound of 2007 music poll.[6] About 130 music critics and broadcasters from the UK agreed that Mika was the sound of 2007.[7]

The album received highly polarised reviews, earning one star from The Guardian and four stars in the London Evening Standard.[8] The album received a score of 1 out of 10 from the Drowned in Sound website,[9] which prompted Brian May of Queen, a fan of Mika, to criticise the website for making unnecessary personal attacks on Mika.[10] [11] [12]

Release

The original version of the album, released in the United Kingdom and Europe on 5 February 2007, contains a total of 12 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 features 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", and 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 track listing than 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", "Only 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".

Chart performance

The album had significant success in Europe, with the album achieving 1.8 million certified sales in the United Kingdom and 1.45 million in France. The album was certified five-times platinum in Belgium and two-times platinum in Switzerland, and three-times platinum in Ireland, also achieving gold and/or platinum status in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany and Greece. The album also charted in the Czech Republic and was certified in Japan. In Oceania, the album was certified two-times platinum in Australia and gold in New Zealand. In North America, the album was certified two-times platinum in Canada.

Personnel

Orchestra

Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2007–2008)!scope="col"
Peak
position
Argentine Albums Chart[13] 1
Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)1
Czech Republic Albums (IFPI)[14] 24
Dutch Alternative Albums (Mega Alternative Top 30)[15] 2
Europe (European Top 100 Albums)[16] 1
Greek Albums (IFPI)[17] 1
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[18] 12
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[19] 13
Russian Albums (Russian Music Charts)[20] 1

Year-end charts

2007 year-end chart performance for Life in Cartoon Motion! Chart (2007)! Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 18
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[23] 26
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[24] 3
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[25] 2
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 6
French Albums (SNEP)[27] 1
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)12
Irish Albums (IRMA)19
Italian Albums (FIMI)[28] 25
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29] 29
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 14
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 3
2008 year-end chart performance for Life in Cartoon Motion! Chart (2008)! Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[33] 61
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[34] 59
French Albums (SNEP)[35] 17
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[36] 97
Italian Albums (FIMI)[37] 94
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 48
UK Albums (OCC)[39] 26

Decade-end charts

2000s-end chart performance for Life in Cartoon Motion! Chart (2000s)! Position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[40] 92
UK Albums (OCC)[41] 54

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums . ifpi.org . 2007 . 3 September 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110103154952/http://www.musikindustrie.de/uploads/media/top50-2007.pdf . 3 January 2011.
  2. Web site: How Mika sold 10m albums… then reinvented himself as an award-winning TV star. 27 October 2017. Music Business Worldwide.
  3. Miriam Zendle Interview with Mika Digital Spy. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  4. Linda McGee Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion RTÉ. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  5. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/06/america/NA-FEA-A-E-MUS-US-Mika.php Q&A: Mika, the latest singing sensation from across the pond
  6. News: Jones. Emma. Entertainment | Sound of 2007: Mika. BBC News. 5 January 2007. 31 December 2009. 15 January 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090115084547/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6231243.stm. live.
  7. http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=392346 Mika's Rise and Shine
  8. Web site: CDs of the Week . Evening Standard . 2 February 2007 . 4 February 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070520104519/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/article-23384054-details/CDs+of+the+week/article.do . 20 May 2007 . dead.
  9. Web site: Mika: Life In Cartoon Motion . Drowned in Sound . 5 February 2007 . 16 February 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070212134935/http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/9109 . 12 February 2007.
  10. Web site: Another Nasty Piece of Work . https://archive.today/20120722093800/http://www.brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbfeb07a.html . dead . 22 July 2012 . www.brianmay.com . Brian May . Brian May . 5 February 2007 . 11 January 2008 .
  11. News: May springs to Mika's defence . . Oliver Duff . 6 February 2007 . 11 January 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081205030515/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20070206/ai_n17198282 . 5 December 2008.
  12. Web site: Brian May in DiS-hating shocker!. Drowned in Sound. 7 February 2007. 11 January 2008. 16 December 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071216025355/http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/1591719. dead.
  13. http://www.universalmusic.com.ar/portal/newswindow.aspx?260 Argentina
  14. Web site: ČNS IFPI. IFPI Czech Republic. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 27 November 2010. 2 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202234556/http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparada/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=14&titul=148654&sec=05896b9bcd92d49b5d06b5dd7561620e. live.
  15. Web site: Alternative Top 30. Dutch. dutchcharts.nl. 17 June 2014. 18 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160118214655/http://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=aa&year=2007&date=20070901. live.
  16. Web site: ALLOFMP3. Digital music.. allofmp3.com. 9 April 2007. 18 April 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070418181326/http://music.allofmp3.com/ratings/charts.shtml?chartlist=966. live.
  17. Web site: Greece . Ifpi.gr . 30 December 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071027160549/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm . 27 October 2007.
  18. Web site: Hungary . Mahasz.hu . 30 December 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100202170602/http://www.mahasz.hu/m/.?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=top_40_album_es_valogataslemez_lista . 2 February 2010.
  19. Web site: You Taiju: Life in Cartoon Motion . Oricon Marketing Promotion . 22 May 2008 . Japanese . 9 January 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109062251/http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/ranking_list.asp?itemcd=710334&samecd=1&chart_kbn=11A&linkcd=31365941 . live .
  20. Web site: Музыка KM.RU - Новости - Клип певца Mika лидирует на всех музыкальных каналах . Music.km.ru . 25 July 2007 . 30 December 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090302102326/http://music.km.ru/news.asp?id=bb728a5ddfb5496da4a2aadc4cf8f14f . 2 March 2009.
  21. Web site: 2022 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. 20 May 2022. 20 May 2022. 20 May 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220520074409/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s20/. live.
  22. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2007. Australian Recording Industry Association. 7 November 2020. 5 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190305110443/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-albums-2007.htm. live.
  23. Web site: Jahreshitparade Alben 2007. austriancharts.at. 7 November 2020. 3 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174211/http://www.austriancharts.at/year.asp?id=2007&cat=a. live.
  24. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2007. Ultratop. 7 November 2020. 27 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180827075408/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2007&cat=a. live.
  25. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2007. Ultratop. 7 November 2020. 29 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190329045940/https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2007&cat=a. live.
  26. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2007. dutchcharts.nl. 7 November 2020. 31 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181231092506/https://www.dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2007&cat=a. live.
  27. http://www.mtv.de/charts/Album_Jahrescharts_2007
  28. Web site: Classifica annuale 2007 (dal 01.01.2007 al 30.12.2007). Italian. FIMI. 7 June 2022. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115194712/https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl#/charts/11/2007/0. live.
  29. Web site: Top 50 Albumes 2007. Promusicae. Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20131205170903/http://www.promusicae.es/documents/viewfile/9-top-50-albumes-2007. 5 December 2013. live.
  30. Web site: Årslista Album – År 2007. Sverigetopplistan. Swedish. 7 November 2020. 18 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200618150945/https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/83?dspy=2007&dspp=1. live.
  31. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007. hitparade.ch. 7 November 2020. 8 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008080538/https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2007. live.
  32. News: Winehouse and Lewis head charts. 31 December 2007. BBC News. 14 October 2015. 22 May 2009. https://archive.today/20090522073137/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7165210.stm. live.
  33. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2008. Australian Recording Industry Association. 7 November 2020. 5 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190305110231/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-albums-2008.htm. live.
  34. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2008. dutchcharts.nl. 7 November 2020. 16 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120716041252/http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2008&cat=a. live.
  35. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2008. SNEP. fr. 7 November 2020. 23 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201123215646/https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2008. live.
  36. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts. German. GfK Entertainment. 7 November 2020. 9 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150509165915/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2008. live.
  37. Web site: Classifica annuale 2008 (dal 31.12.2007 al 28.12.2008). Italian. FIMI. 7 June 2022. 15 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191115194712/https://www.fimi.it/top-of-the-music/classifiche.kl#/charts/11/2008/0. live.
  38. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2008. hitparade.ch. 7 November 2020. 5 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805110821/https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2008. live.
  39. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2008. Official Charts Company. 7 November 2020. 24 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150524011528/http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20080106/37502. live.
  40. Web site: Decenium Charts - Albums 2000-2009 . Dutch . dutchcharts.nl . MegaCharts. Hung Medien . 3 September 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150208110332/http://dutchcharts.nl/decennium.asp?cat=a . 8 February 2015.
  41. Web site: The Official UK Charts Company . . 2 January 2010 . 23 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100323093517/http://www.officialcharts.com/ . live .

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