Before we entered college, we endured eight years of elementary school and four years of high school. During these years, we all had our ups and downs, from passing a test after studying extremely hard, to trudging through hours of work from a single teacher who seemed to forget (or ignore) that we had other classes too.
All of these feelings have been captured in Melanie Martinez’s sophomore album, “K-12,” but with a twist!
Martinez’s sophomore album follows behind her freshman album, “Crybaby.” Both albums,
“Crybaby” and “K-12,” tell the story of a character named Crybaby through her horrifying years of growing up. “Wheels on the Bus” starts off the 13-song album with reflecting on her first-day jitters and the dread of starting yet another school year. The album ends with “Recess,” the best part of her day.
Though each song has its mellow and upbeat sounds, the messages behind each of the songs’ lyrics hold deeper meanings. “Orange Juice” and “Strawberry Shortcake” detail anxiety about body image. “Lunchbox Friends” recalls fake friendships. “Teacher’s Pet” discusses an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and his student.
Out of the 13 songs on her album, there were a few hits and misses. “Orange Juice” and “High School Sweethearts” were not favorites after the first listen, but were definitely songs that grew on me. But, the songs “Wheels on the Bus,” “Nurse’s Office,” “Lunchbox Friends,” “Drama Club,” “Class Fight” and others were immediate hits.
Martinez’s sophomore album will have you reminiscing on your elementary and high school days (and maybe even make those days seem less miserable than you thought).