User blog:Jaxswim/Best of 2015: Album No. 4

# 4: Melanie Martinez - Cry Baby

 Release Date: August 14 

 Peak Position (US Albums): #6   

General Review Melanie Martinez is a unique artist, in her own sense of artistry but also in the way that I came about her. I remember where I was when I heard her first haunting notes of Toxic on The Voice. Since then, I have been captured and captivated by the girl who liked to dye her hair different colors and channel her inner youth in the darkest way possible. Melanie Martinez released her debut album this year after an EP in 2014 and did not disappoint. She gained notoriety in the pop alternative crowd and overall had a great year including a tour. Cry Baby is an interesting record with a sincere dark streak, making for a listen that will keep your attention. Track-by-track The first song on Cry Baby is also the title track, placed to introduce us to the character Melanie will be playing with this album. However, she also reveals that it may not be so much of a character after all: "I look at you and I see myself/I know you better than anyone else". Following is Melanie Martinez's debut single from April 2014, Dollhouse. This song's catchy chorus and fascinating lyrics will entrance you as it did with many back when it was released. The so-called sequel to Dollhouse comes right after, titled Sippy Cup. Though the song is sonically sparse, it is one of the best, most interesting songs on the album, with great lyrics. However, the song after is one of the worst on the album: Carousel. Also coming from Martinez's 2014 EP, Carousel seems to be trying too hard with its forward gothic vocals and production paired with fairly generic lyrics. Alphabet Boy, the fifth track, has a great concept propelling the song by inverting the childish theme of the album ("I'm not a little kid now/Watch me get big now") and does it with a catchy melody, too. Afterwards is Soap, a personal favorite from the album. The song has a sweet, melancholy melody and is an ode to all the things we say that we wish we could take back. It makes itself memorable from the first listen with its soap bubble breakdown but the entire song is perfectly crafted. Track seven is Training Wheels, the only true happy, love song on the album. The song feels like a breather at this point on the album and a very sweet one at that with Martinez's soft, loving vocals. However, the break does not last long as the album jumps right into its lead single, Pity Party. Sampling Lesley Gore's 1963 #1 hit It's My Party and melding it into a darker pop song, Pity Party is a hell of a song. Its synth-pop beat, tragic tale, and booming chorus will leave you speechless. Following is Tag You're It, another enticing, dark song. This song sounds like the gritty, poorly lit backwoods of nightmares and has a disturbing subject (rape). It captures this with its lyrics too: "Grabbed my hair, pushed me down/Took the words right out my mouth/Tag, you're it". Next comes Milk and Cookies, an unmemorable, dreary song that has pretty much nothing notable about it. Track 11 is Pacify Her, probably the best wordplay title on the album and altogether a very catchy song. The last two tracks on the album are also two of the best: Mrs. Potato Head and Mad Hatter. Mrs. Potato Head may appear on the surface to have a problematic message, but upon further inspection is truly a commentary on the superficiality of our society than attacking a certain gender's choices. It's hard to put a finger on what is so great about it, but the song is definitely one that will keep you coming back for more. Mad Hatter is the most demented song on the album in terms of delivery and production and it is a pleasure to listen to. The song's overall concept (acceptance of self) may be overdone, but it is presented in a unique and interesting way by portraying an insane woman: "I'm peeling the skin off my face/Cause I really hate being safe/The normals, they make me afraid/The crazies, they make me feel safe". Best Track: Soap/Pity Party/Mrs. Potato Head/Mad Hatter Worst Track: Carousel/Milk and Cookies Why You Should Buy This Album: Melanie Martinez has made her debut into the music world and it's not one that you want to miss. She is an artist with incredible potential that has showcased one facet of her personality very well through Cry Baby. The album is filled with catchy melodies and lyrics that will not leave your head.