Judgment Briefs: Life in Cartoon Motion

I almost apologized for writing more about pop music, but then I realized that no-one is paying me to do this. If, however, certain corporations want to trade tickets to Bayreuth for favorable reviews, then I can be bought. I think that I am getting the better end of that deal.

Mika's record, Life in Cartoon Motion, is enigmatic to me. I've listened to it since its European début some time back. I'm sorry, but I don't quite get it: Scissor Sisters has been pulling this shtick for a while now, and even they can miss the mark (viz. several tracks on Ta-Dah). I get it: you're using camp (or, properly, Camp) to play on the sensibilities of your audience. How witty! How droll! However, like all irony, you're not if you're trying. In any event: it's been done.

It's infectious pop (i.e., "Grace Kelly" and "Love Today"), but - ultimately - I get the feeling that he's having an elaborate joke at my expense. It's not a bad record, but I don't have much room in my musical pantheon for people who want to be Freddie Mercury, especially since Live at Wembley '86 is still in print.