MIKA

Back in November, I wrote of MIKA:

"So, who and the heck is Mika? Well, he's only the latest in a long line of pop stars to come out of Beirut. I mean, "Duh."

Seriously, though, the guy WAS born in Beirut. Then, he moved from one European locale to another, never entirely fitting in, but realizing early on that he had a passion for music and art. Now, in his very early 20's, he's set to release his first album, LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION.

This is pure pop -- shiny & sugary. It might remind you a bit of SCISSOR SISTERS. BEE GEES. Maybe even GEORGE MICHAEL."

Well, LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION is being released this week. And it's a most clever contraption. Or clap-trap. It's hilarious. Laughing-WITH-it hilarious. Laughing-AT-it hilarious. It's over-the-top. MEATLOAF over-the-top. It's cheesy in the extreme. Cheesy-to-the-point-of-Velveeta. Which is to say: inauthentic. And derivative. But also catchy as all hell. And delivered with a wink.

Speaking of derivative... let's throw ROBBIE WILLIAMS and FREDDIE MERCURY into the pop-star melting pot. "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)"? "Fat-Bottomed Girls," anyone? With maybe a knowing nod to THE SMITHS' "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"?. So be it. And as one alert reader pointed out back in November, "Relax, Take It Easy" is really just CUTTING CREW's "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" revamped and injected with helium. But so be THAT, as well.

MIKA on MySPACE.

MIKA on the move...

Feb 20 2007 8:00P/BRIGHTON - Concorde 2/Brighton, South
Feb 22 2007 8:00P/London KOKO/London
Feb 23 2007 8:00P/Barfly/Birmingham, Midlands
Feb 24 2007 8:00P/Global Café/Newcastle, Northeast
Feb 26 2007 8:00P/ABC 2/Glasgow, Scotland
Feb 27 2007 8:00P/'Academy 2/Manchester, Northwest
Feb 28 2007 8:00P/Cockpit/Leeds, Northwest

[MP3] "Relax, Take It Easy"

[MP3] "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)"

[VID] "Grace Kelly"