Another ready-made 1970’s style, sugar-filled guilty pleasure to join the Scissor Sisters and The Feeling all over the radio (not to mention the supermarket racks). Mika is a Lebanese born, Paris raised dandy, who seems to have found a portal into Trident Studios circa 1973, although I think it is far more amusing that he’s signed to old disco war horse Casablanca (albeit in its new incarnation). His elegant song craft often recalls Freddie Mercury, particularly the Killer Queen-esque chamber pop of Billy Brown, Grace Kelly and Stuck In The Middle. Less successful are the attempts at disco, particularly Big Girl (his anthem to the larger lady) or the hi-NRG stomper Relax, Take It Easy (an unfortunate ringer for Cutting Crew’s Died In Your Arms). Mika’s occasional classical pastiches and between-song skits also quickly irritate.
