Castro Valley High School’s award-winning student newspaper. We are born to seek the truth!

Entertainment

‘Reverie’ leaves you speechless

Ben Platt’s second studio album, “Reverie” takes you through a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from heartbreak to infatuation. The first song on the album, titled “Childhood Bedroom,” talks about wanting to get the weight of having to grow up off your back. 

Platt sings, “And suddenly I’m dancin’ in my childhood bedroom, fallin’ right back into the way it was, dancin’ like I never get to.” The song perfectly captures the longing for simpler times when growing up is getting hard. 

The album is structured around three songs, all titled “King of the World,” and numbered in respect to their placement in the album. Part one serves to lead you into the album, part two is used as a musical interlude, and part three is utilized as a conclusion to the album. All three songs guide you through the complex emotions of the album, and have clear references to the 1997 James Cameron movie, “Titanic.” 

Platt manages to put difficult emotions and experiences into words. In one song on the album, titled “Dark Times,” he sings about his experience growing up gay, and what it’s like to be scared of what everyone will think. He also sings about finally falling in love, but experiencing his first real heartbreak. In his song “Chasing You,” he sings about chasing after someone, and you know you are getting hurt but you can’t stop. 

Platt originally got his start doing musical theater, and is most commonly known for playing the lead in “Dear Evan Hansen, ” a broadway musical, which is going to soon become a movie. He also appeared in “The Book of Mormon” and “The Sound of Music.” He also has appeared in several movies and tv shows, and even stars in the Netflix original comedy, “The Politician.” Platt currently has a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Tony, as well as several other awards such as a Teen Choice award and a Golden Globe. 

“Reverie” is available on any music streaming service, but you can also purchase a CD from Platt’s website, along with other merchandise such as t-shirts and crewnecks. Platt will also take the album on tour, from late February to early April of 2022. As mentioned, “Reverie” is his second studio album; his debut album, “Sing to Me Instead” will pull on your heartstrings just as much, and is definitely worth checking out.

Before the release of the album, Platt tweeted, “I hate hyperbole, but this record is honestly my favorite thing of any kind that I’ve ever made, and I’ve been dying to share it with you.” This just makes the album so much more enjoyable because I know that not only do I love it, but he loves it as well. However, I have a feeling that this is only the beginning for Platt, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for the future