Cry Baby
| Melanie Martinez
Cry Baby
Cry Baby is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Melanie Martinez. It was released on August 14, 2015, by Atlantic Records through digital download, CD, vinyl and audio cassette. The album was supported by the release of three singles. Two singles preceded the album's release: lead single "Pity Party", was released on June 2, 2015, while the second single, "Soap", was released on July 10, 2015. The third and final single from the album, "Sippy Cup" was released July 31, 2015. Cry Baby is a visualconcept album. The album is labeled as an alternative pop,electropop, and indie pop release, and received generally positive reviews from critics. In 2021 the album was certified double platinum, after earning 2 million album-equivalent units (sales, streaming, and track sales). -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Medium
There are some truly fantastic tracks on this album, but certain numbers just didn’t deliver and hindered the overall impact of the album. I appreciate the style Martinez is going for, but when it got too dark, it didn’t work for me.
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The Ithacan
Though the overall tone of the album is unsettling, the music is incredibly original and captivating. Martinez’s vocal talent is certainly worth a listen if one wants to hear an up-and-coming artist.
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Sputnik Music
Creep-fest ahoy! And it's probably disturbing in hindsight.
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The Connector
Although not as radio friendly as most pop albums, “Crybaby” is single-handedly one of the most artistic and cleverly executed indie pop albums released this year. Martinez’s lyrics and vocal delivery works perfectly to create a variety of catchy and infectious pop songs.
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The Daily Listening
Cry Baby, in a nutshell, is a whimsical night at the carnival you’ll never forget. It’s a time for self-discovery and throwing yourself that overdue pity party others forbade you from. So eerie, it’s delicious, Cry Baby offers you cotton candy while you watch everyone else evade their feelings. What a freak show. It almost makes you wonder if maybe you’re the normal one after all.
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The Squall
Although the album could do with less audio effects, as anyone who has heard Martinez sing live knows she is talented, the music is catchy, relatable, and “cooler” than some of the other pop icons out there. Listeners can expect semi-disturbing lyrics alongside strong messages about life, love, and society, making Cry Baby a very unique album.
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Spectrum Pulse
Look, I respect Martinez's ambition and tenacity in making a record like this, especially for a debut - it's got a unique style and personality, and if you're more into it than I am, you'll probably find this a fascinating listen. But putting aside my gripes with the sound, I don't think she did this all that well, mostly because it feels melodramatic and not in a good way, the production feeling gaudy, overdone, and yet strangely not all that memorable, and the tone and style feels very forced.
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Rowan Does Reviews
Melanie’s vocals are fantastic and I really appreciate the serious material disguised inside of a childish pop song. I thought her song titles were stupid at first since they all seemed like child stuff, but her songs are actually stunningly beautiful.
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Cultured Vultures
Overall, I was half and half on this album, there’s a lot of potential. Some of the songs sounded too similar, but there were some that really did kick-ass, both musically and morally as she sang about real issues. Her songs become universal to a wider audience, although this did mean losing that personal, nostalgic and authentic touch from her as an artist. After you’ve listened to this album, or at least some of the songs and you’re still unsure on Melanie Martinez, listen to her covers from The Voice USA, then judge her as an artist, rather than just on this one album.
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Give The Flak
She’s extremely unique. Her songs are fun to listen to, and her interesting voice makes it all the much better. Lyrically, her songs are ingenious. With songs about how everybody thinks that her family is perfect, and her parents not wanting anyone to know that they’re actually really messed up, comparing it to a “Doll House,” Melanie Martinez is a brilliant writer. The production is amazing, and I look for award to more records by her in the future.
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The Modernretro Magazine
The record shows Martinez’s ambition which is admirable as she deals with dark and deep topics. For a debut album, this is surprisingly great and addicting. Her alter ego has an innocent, creepy twist that is intriguing, unique and there’s something that makes you want to keep listening. And as the album unravels, there’s no denying it’s excellence. It’s a dark record holding many emotions and mood swings that sends chills.
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Teen Ink
For fans of the electropop genre and artists like Lorde and Lana Del Rey, this album will be a full 46 minutes and 43 seconds of pure bliss and hypnotic heaven. Melanie Martinez draws in her audience with her soft, breathy vocals and metaphorical lyrics that never cease to entertain and captivate her listeners. With an unique, original sound that differentiates her from other artists, one can't go wrong diving into Melanie Martinez's Cry Baby to lose themselves in a fantasy world of Mrs. Potato Heads, Dollhouses, and lots of Freakshow Carousels.
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