You may know Ben Platt as the title role in the original broadway cast of the ultra-popular musical Dear Evan Hansen, or even his role as Elder Cunningham in “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway, but he is now making a name for himself as a solo artist. Platt recently released his very first solo album, “Sing To Me Instead.” The first four tracks of the album were periodically released as singles leading up the the album release, and fans were on the edge of their seat for more. Now that the album has been released, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Bad Habit: This song is one of the two singles that Ben released along with the announcement of this album back in January. Extremely piano-driven and vocally impressive, this song has hints at his musical theatre experience. This song is also home to the album’s title, “[I need] someone to quiet the voices, in my head, make them sing to me instead; it’s you.” Ben states that he wrote this song sitting at his piano, which explains the focus on the instrument and makes the song feel even more special.
Ease My Mind: This is the other single that was released with “Bad Habit,” and it depicts Ben’s struggle with anxiety and how his partner is able to help him. It’s a message that many people struggling with anxiety can relate to, and even those who don’t are able to sense the emotion in the song. This is a beautiful love song that tugs at the heart strings and brings out raw emotion.
Temporary Love: This is another familiar song, as it was the last single from this album to be released; it was released on March 7th and was the last taste of the album we got before the album itself was released. This song is more pop-ish than a lot of the others, starting off with a simple piano tune, transitioning into a pop beat in the first verse, and falling back into the piano-driven tune in the chorus. As with most of the songs on “Sing to me Instead,” this song depicts strong emotion that shows through Ben’s voice and reflects onto the listener.
Grow As We Go: The third single released from this album, Grow as we Go is by far my personal favorite track on “Sing to me Instead.” This slow song is about personal growth within a relationship and the way that people are able to support each other through their growth. Often times, relationships end on the grounds of needing to “go and find yourself,” as Ben states in this song, but Grow as we Go expresses the desire to not only stay together through the process of finding oneself, but helping each other along the way. This song also stands out musically as it is mostly filled with acoustic guitar sounds rather than piano, as is heard in most of the other songs on this album. Grow as we Go is very reminiscent of Family of the Year’s “Hero,” in the best way possible. Overall, this is an amazing song and will continue to stay on repeat for weeks.
Honest Man: This is the first new song of the album, and it brings back that already iconic Ben Platt sound with the piano-driven melody and strong vocals. This is one of those songs I could see myself attempting to belt in my car — and failing, due to the difficulty of the runs and transitions. It’s extremely vocally impressive and fun to jam out to.
Hurt Me Once: Another slow song, this one tells a story of a failing relationship and foreseeing the end of it. It’s the helplessness of wanting a relationship to last but knowing it won’t. Ben tells of how he would prefer a relationship to end before it gets bad, before you’re unable to remember the happy memories with that person and replacing them with the negative ones instead. It’s raw, emotional, and one of my favorites on this album.
New: This one is a favorite of many fans. It’s the most upbeat song on the record and it expresses the relief and feeling of being “brand new” that comes with leaving a relationship that was toxic or bad for you. It’s one that makes you wanna get up and dance and sing your heart out.
Better: Like many songs on “Sing to me Instead,” this song is filled with raw emotion that is evident to the listener. It’s about sharing so much of yourself with someone that they know you better than you know yourself and the pain and emptiness that comes when they leave; he says “I lost part of me when I lost all of you.” It’s heartbreaking and, unfortunately, hits home for many listeners.
Share Your Address: Falling in love early in a relationship, or perhaps just infatuation masked as love, leaves you fantasizing about your future with your partner, and that’s exactly what “Share Your Address” is about — wanting to spend all your time with someone and be around them constantly. This is one of the more upbeat songs and is one that I could see myself blasting in my car.
In Case you Don’t Live Forever: This is yet another one that portrays raw emotion with a slow melody. It tells how important it is to tell someone how much they mean to you, because you never know how long you have with them. It may seem somewhat morbid to think about, but things can happen in the blink of an eye, and you don’t want to regret not telling them how you feel — that’s exactly the emotion this song shows.
Older: The age old argument between older and younger people is captured in this song: “when you are younger, you wish you’re older, then when you’re older, you turn for time to turn around.” The message of this song is very important: don’t stay too caught up in the future that you miss your youth. We must always live in the present.
Run Away: The last track on this album, “Run Away” is another story within a song. It’s about being there for your loved ones through the thick and thin; “Look in my eyes and know I’ll always stay.” It’s a perfect way to wrap up the album, as it depicts the emotion that is a common theme throughout the entire thing and is in Ben’s signature style. Overall, “Sing To Me Instead” is filled with emotion, passion, love, and much more. I highly recommend it to both “Dear Evan Hansen” fans and others alike.
Listen to "Sing To Me Instead" here: Spotify
Written by Monica!
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