Los Angeles – Competing as a contestant on a singing show like The Voice is stressful enough for young artists such as Melanie Martinez; add in the pressure of capitalizing on reality television success and translating that into a full-length album format, and the tension must be overwhelming. On television Martinez was able cover well established artists’ compositions, but on her debut album Cry Baby she must make the original tracks her own. While contestants who reach the deepest levels of these competitions are inherently talented, a shocking number of them fail to make much of an impact on the music industry.
Martinez is seeking to reverse those fortunes. The early returns on Cry Baby so far appear to be quite favorable; she has four songs on the iTunes alternative top 200 chart, peaking at #2 with the debut of “Pity Party”. Pre-orders for her album are in high demand, with the album hovering at the top of the advanced order charts, so there is clearly an audience for her brand of alternative pop.
From her many stylized music videos, to her on stage fashion choices, and even to her press photos, Martinez’s aesthetic is heavily alternative. Despite this image, her music could fit right in alongside most of today’s mainstream pop hits. That’s not to say it is not unique pop music; the slippery liquid outro of “Soap” is a perfect example of the kind of sonic elements that separate Cry Baby from its more mainstream peers. Similar to Charlie XCX, Martinez does not depart from the basic structure and hooky-driven styles of Top 40 pop, instead adding small flourishes that make the tracks appeal to college radio fans and the iHeartRadio contingent alike.
While the backing music is an important aspect in separating the album’s sound from the pack, the main attraction of Cry Baby is the vocals. Martinez obviously has powerful vocal ability and a solid range, considering she performed so well on The Voice. That vocal talent translates well onto the record, driving catchy songs like “Pity Party” and the instrumentally sparse “Dollhouse”. There are a few instances of vocal effects being used on the album, though on songs like “Pacify Her” or “Sippy Cup”, they are usually short and not very altering only really adding a bit of emotional emphasis.
Martinez’s debut is very much an album made by and for teenagers, and some publications have found similarities between the 20 year old from Long Island, NY and the now ubiquitous singer-songwriter Lorde. Like her New Zealand peer did on Pure Heroine, the themes on Cry Baby deal with topics that matter most to the under-20 crowd, and they are usually addressed in a very blunt and direct manner.
Melanie Martinez is hitting the road all through the end of the summer and deep into fall. Cry Baby, is out today on Atlantic Records. She has shows all across the United States as well as a pair of appearances in Canada. Finally, Martinez heads to South America for two shows in Brazil. Check her website for more information on tickets and specific dates.
Matt Matasci
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