K-12 - Melanie Martinez: Review
is a New York based singer and songwriter who capitalized on her moment in the spotlight. After losing on The Voice she her debut studio album Crybaby in 2015. The record was initially a successful release spawning a number of popular singles but in the years since 2015 it has taken on a new life as a cult classic record with a highly devoted fanbase and increased respect in the pop music world. Melanie's strong fanbase even stuck with her through a sexual assault allegation, later proved to be mostly untrue, and as she has released snippets and begun a huge promotional campaign for the new era of her career K-12 has the potential to be a comeback album that so few pop artists get after four year breaks in studio material.
Review By Lavender:
Melanie's debut album Crybaby is one of the better pop records of this decade as it combines tight thematic concepts with spacey and atmospheric instrumentals all wrapped up in her marquee theme, taking on adult concepts with a childhood aesthetic. This feature made her music stand out for reasons on top of how great the songs themselves already were and it created a devoted cult following for the record, that I was very much included in. Crybaby was a part of a stacked pop year in 2015 alongside Carly Rae Jepsen, Grimes and Lana Del Rey so fittingly her return would feature two of those very same artists along with Ariana Grande in yet another big year for good pop albums, and Melanie is once again right in the mix with K-12.
There are some big things you should know about K-12 before you dive in, the album goes even deeper into some of the elements that made Crybaby so special which means there are a lot of childhood themes and an eve stronger sense of narrative. K-12 is both an album and a soundtrack to an accompanying film with a number of lyrics that directly reference events and characters from the film which you wouldn't understand just listening to the record. It's for this reason that I highly recommend watching the film before you listen to the record as not only does it provide a lot of context for the songs lyrics and themes but also features some excellent stylized visual accompaniment for the songs that is consistently a treat.
The album starts off with a bang on a number of good songs right in a row. Wheels On The Bus is a fantastic opener with an adorable instrumental based around the tune from which it gets its name sake. Melanie perfectly switches up her delivery between the promiscuous verses and the sugary sweet chorus and she handles both perfectly. On top of this are the sweet planky keys and falsetto vocals that make for an unbelievably catchy tune and just about the best introduction I could ask for.
Class Fight is the next track and another excellent one with an atmospheric and punchy R&B flavored beat on the hook. Melanie's breathy and raspy vocals are perfect for the track and the tight drum kick leading into the hook is one of my favorite moments on the record.
The Principal is a track I enjoy for the most part as it bounces from one catchy refrain to another with absolutely infectious results. The bass heavy synths that enter the mix part way through the first verse are absolutely killer and a clear sign that we're in for something good. The hook is fantastic for the most part but the only element of it I don't really enjoy is the vocal effects on "The Principal" refrain that just aren't flattering and do nothing to help Melanie stay on pitch instead just distorting her voice. Show & Tell isn't my favorite song here mostly because the hook is a little bit weak despite a captivating borderline spoken word moment in its second half. There is some interesting jungle percussion in the back of the mix and her delivery on the verses is very solid making for an ultimately likable song.
The only track I flat out don't like is Nurse's Office it has a carnival style instrumental with some VERY uncomfortable samples that are mixed way to clearly. The song has a weird rickety vocal refrain and a flat out dud on the hook. The song may have a moment or two but the songwriting as a whole is so weak and the beat really needed more than the drab carnival refrain it ultimately got, plus the weird samples just puts it over the top.
Thankfully the album gets back into the swing of things quickly with the next few tracks starting on Drama Club. One of the most individually thematic songs on the album it rides Melanie's soft and breathy vocals as it builds up into a dramatic and swelling breakdown that hits in exactly the right way. The track is essentially a bright R&B song which is effortlessly smooth and has some warm backing vocals and a tight beat, not to mention the numerous lyrical moments on the song that make Melanie absolutely impossible not to stan. Strawberry Shortcake is another one of my favorite songs here mostly because the hook was written specifically about me and I refuse to believe anything else. It opens up with a trap flavored beat and some lyrics about self-consciousness until it transforms into the albums premiere sex bop with lyrics I'm co-opting to my personal cause alongside being one of the best hooks on the entire record.
Lunchbox Friends is a song I wouldn't have liked in concept with Melanie's vocal effects but it actually turns out pretty well and provides a great contrast between verse and chorus. Despite a lyrical question mark or two I still think this song is pretty good. Orange Juice doesn't really stand out to me, the instrumental has some cool samples interpolated in it but there isn't much in the verses that really do much for me and they tend to make the song drag on. The track is saved by the hook which is a swelling and dramatic series of refrains that I really enjoy and send the song home.
Detention is another track that is absolutely slick as hell with Melanie giving one of her best vocal performances on the entire record. The hook to this song is laced in a shimmery and sexy veneer that I am absolutely in love with and the hook is another big highlight. Combine this with a rattling beat and warbled almost watery mix for a great track. Teacher's Pet has one of the loudest hooks here with a wall of electric tinged keys blaring behind everything. I actually think the song is one of the lyrics highlights with not only a number of the albums tightest metaphors and some bad bitch moments that light the song up.
High School Sweethearts is a great tune, but unfortunately it features some of the only moments on the record where the lyrics start to get really difficult to take. The song has a Dua Lipa New Rules style counting refrain on the verses that features some of the laziest and most ridiculous lyrical moments on the entire record. Aside from some of the lyrical lowlights that song is a great combination of adorable and terrifying that is a great character portrayal of Crybaby despite a few lyrical dips. Recess is the closing track and it's a pretty genuine and captivating ballad right at the end of the record. It's a sweet tune with some glistening keys and xylophone style clicks that is just a really adorable and catchy moment stuck on right at the end.
K-12 is the long awaited follow-up to Melanie's cult hit Crybaby and it goes in even harder on what made that record unique, even if it makes a few of the tracks here short-sighted. For the most part the album is a consistent, thematic and atmospheric pop record that executes consistently on some key promises. Most importantly, expressing adult themes through the guise of children's issues, typically revolving around school. The albums concept and themes are impressive on their own but Melanie's consistent musical and vocal execution is a treat that makes it once again one of the better pop albums of this year. 8/10
For more great pop music check out Carly Rae Jepsen's Dedicated here
