Mika
The Boy Who Knew Too Much
(Casablanca)

Hey, I think the dude is an awesome pop star, but Bangs alive, I typed the words “pop chameleon Mika” into Google and came up with 1,340,000 results. So let’s examine the evidence.

Single ‘We Are Golden’ = ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’ (Belinda Carlisle), with some bonus added children, a Queen middle-eight and a much chirpier beat. Except of course, it’s far more than that, its lyrics setting it apart as an anthem for a generation on a par with Pulp’s ‘Common People’ or The Who’s ‘My Generation’. To celebrate its release, Mika was reported to have invited his fans (via Twitter) to have a drink with him down his local – a gesture that was supposed to have cost upwards of $50,000.

Single ‘Blame It On The Girls’ = the glam disco of Scissor Sisters (before they became boring), a teen anthem on a par with Blur’s ‘Boys And Girls’ only with the added bonus of confused, turbulent sexuality and a voice that could bring Antony Hegarty down from the rafters. (Where he’s been acting too damn ethereal for his own good anyway.) There’s inspired use of piano and a deep bass that causes my sub-woofer to bounce up and down in delight. On Letterman, performing this, Mika looked like Edward Scissorhands dancing twinkle-toes.

Single ‘Rain’ = Madonna. Oh wait, is this the one that sounds like early Scissor Sisters? Either way, Mika totally doesn’t hold back here. He lets rip. Bangs wept, but does he let rip. Sparkles and chandeliers and giant Halloween lanterns cascade to the floor as he opens his mouth, and shimmies. Not coincidentally, he’s the only star (Jarvis included) not to be overshadowed by Beth Ditto when they duet. I’m starting to think that, on occasion, he’s Amy Winehouse good.

‘Dr John’ = something from the mid-70s, Elton John or Paul McCartney or (well, duh) George Michael fronting Queen playing ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’. It boasts a foot-stomping chorus that Liam Gallagher should die for. It’s like Robbie Williams pretending to emulate Frank Sinatra at the Royal Albert Hall, only with an idea. (All of the above is a good thing, by the way.)

‘I See You’ = the slow one that every chart singer is obligated to have on his album by contract, so mums and dads can go take a toilet break. Too many high notes, not enough low ones. Mika is rumoured to have a five-octave range. He admits to three-and-a-half. I never liked it when Elton John extended his recording career into the '80s, either.

‘Blue Eyes’ = his schmaltzy Australian Idol/Boyzone moment. Guess Mika has to have to have a schmaltzy Australian Idol/Boyzone moment on his second album. Maybe that’s in his contract too. Hell, no one buys albums anymore for this very reason. My favourite bit is when the song ends.

‘Good Gone Girl’ = pure Freddie Mercury, from a solo album that in a previous life I would never have dreamt of going near: histrionic, mannered, theatrical, meaningless and hence highly contagious. If that isn’t a cheeky harrumphing trombone I hear blaring in halfway through then it ought to be. There’s a little Gilbert O’Sullivan present, too.

‘Touches You’ = pure George Michael (again), although the handclaps belong far more to that Wembley Stadium live experience we were discussing a few songs back. One suspects that Ben Elton is already beating a path through the legions of admirers and music school rejects to have a word in his shell-like. I’m thinking Amanda Palmer somewhere, as well.

‘By The Time’ = features Imogen Heap. Ugh. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing whatsoever against The Heap. I just don’t like her name.

‘One Foot Boy’ = ‘Heaven Is A Place On Earth’ (Belinda Carlisle), again. Hold on, this is getting a bit scarily post-modern.

‘Toy Boy’ = ‘I’m A Marionette’ (ABBA)/‘The Lady Is A Vamp’ (The Spice Girls). Interesting Spice fact 1: did you know that the 11-track (Japanese version) of 1997’s Spiceworld featured no less than eight singles? And that when I interviewed the ladies face-to-face just before Ginger left the group, Baby Spice was the only one that bothered to flirt with me? Ah well, whatever. Not sure why Mika’s seen fit to include this gorgeously cheesy slice of Broadway here – not that I’m complaining: it’s eminently suitable for the bit in the must-soon-come remake of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang where the adults pretend to be wind-up puppets. There again, he is a pop chameleon: 1,340,000 Google links can’t be wrong.

‘Pick Up Off The Floor’ = pop chameleon genius, full stop.

Everett True