The Boy Who Knew Too Much is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Mika. It was released on 21 September 2009,Medioni, Gilles (11 June 2009). "Exclu Mika: tout sur son nouveau CD... et sa playlist", L'Express. Retrieved on 2009-07-08. under Casablanca/Universal Republic in the United States and Island in the United Kingdom.

Background Mika worked with producer Greg Wells, who also produced his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion. The album was written in Olympic Studios, London, which began in June 2008. In September 2008 he moved to Rocket Carousel Studios, Los Angeles, where the album was recorded.Allen, Matt (1 June 2009). "", Q Magazine. Retrieved 2009-07-12. Mika has described the album's themes as dealing with his teenage years, and "in a sense is kind of part two" of his first album.Mazumdar, Tulip (9 June 2009). "Mika pens 'teenage' second album", BBC Radio 1. Retrieved on 2009-07-08. In contrast to his first album, which "contained innocent fairytales", Mika pitches the new album's songs as "gothic Tim Burton-esque fantasies."

The album was originally titled We Are Golden after the first single from the album, "We Are Golden". On 20 July 2009 in an on-air interview with DJ Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 1, Mika revealed he was considering renaming the album, because he wanted "something a little more ridiculous." On 6 August 2009 it was confirmed that the album's title would change to The Boy Who Knew Too Much. As with Mika's debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, the album artwork has been designed by Mika's sister (who works under the nom de plume DaWack), the Australian illustrator Sophie Blackall, Airside collaborator Richard Hogg and Mika himself. The artwork has been inspired by children's picture books from the 1940s to 1970s.

Critical response

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 70/100 from Metacritic.

Singles "We Are Golden" was the first single from the album. It received its UK radio debut on BBC Radio 2 on 20 July 2009. It peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. "Rain" was the second UK and German single, released on 23 November 2009 in both digital and physical format. It peaked at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart, making it Mika's first UK single to miss the top 40. In Germany it peaked at number 56. It was released as the third UK single, on 15 February 2010. "Blame It on the Girls" was the second American and Japanese single from the album. It peaked at number one in Japan but failed to make any impact in the United States. It was released as the third UK single, on 15 February 2010. It peaked at number 72. The song "Good Gone Girl" charted within the Romanian Top 100 on airplay only, without being released as a single.

Track listing

Personnel Mika – vocals, piano, keyboards, background vocals, background violin

Additional musicians

Walter Afanasieff – percussion, keyboards The Andrae Crouch Choir – background vocals Lorna Bridge – background vocals Paul Buckmaster – strings Matt Chamberlain – drums, percussion Andrew Dermanis – additional vocals Gary Grant – horns Jerry Hey – horns Imogen Heap – drums, background vocals, keyboard Dan Higgins – horns Alex Millar – background vocals Audrey Moukataff – background vocals Chris Nicolaides – background vocals

Cherisse Osei – drums Owen Pallett – violin Tim Pierce – guitar Fortune Penniman – background vocals Paloma Penniman – background vocals, additional vocals Zuleika Penniman – background vocals Bill Reichenbach Jr. – horns Dan Rothchild – bass guitar, background vocals Fabien Waltmann – keyboards Martin Waugh – guitar, background vocals Greg Wells – keyboards, drums, bass, percussion, guitar Ida Falk Winland – background vocals Lyle Workman – guitar

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2009)Peakposition Argentine Albums (CAPIF) 6 Greek Albums (IFPI Greece) 45 Mexican Albums (AMPROFON) 29

Year-end charts Chart (2009)Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) 40 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) 41 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 77 European Top 100 Albums (Billboard) 49 French Albums (SNEP) 12 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) 60 UK Albums (OCC) 99 Chart (2010)Position French Albums (SNEP) 27

Certifications

Release history Country DateHong Kong 5 September 2009Netherlands16 September 2009France18 September 2009AustraliaGermanyItalyIrelandUnited Kingdom21 September 2009ArgentinaMexicoSouth KoreaUnited States22 September 2009BrazilCanadaSouth Korea (Korean Special Edition)27 May 2010Hong Kong (Asia Tour Edition)2 June 2010South Korea (Asia Tour Edition)15 June 2010

References

External links MikaSounds.com – Mika's official website Mika on YouTube