The pop princess Sabrina Carpenter is back with her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet. While Carpenter can be considered a veteran in the music industry, the artist has stated that this record feels like her sophomore release thanks to her finally finding herself and her true musical style. The album’s release comes after the star’s viral success with the LP’s first single ‘Espresso’. Carpenter has been able to build a loyal fanbase even before her ‘Espresso’ fame and true to the album’s title, they are being rewarded with a perfectly succinct album full of different flavours sampled from pop to RnB.
Short n’ Sweet starts off with ‘Taste’, a powerful pop song. The layers of rhythmic guitar riffs when paired with Carpenter’s impressive vocals make the track a pleasure to listen to. It’s only until you look at the lyrics that you realise these preppy instrumentals hide the artist’s feelings about her ex getting back together with his previous partner: “Every time you close your eyes / And feel his lips, you’re feelin’ mine / And every time you breathe his air / Just know I was already there / You can have him if you like / I’ve been there, done that once or twice”.
The record then jumps into ‘Please Please Please’, the second single released in the run-up to Short n’ Sweet. Its retro instrumentals and ABBA-esque energy show off Carpenter’s ability to tackle any pop subgenre and keep her listeners on their toes. The rich and plucky guitar riffs make the song so easily replayable.
‘Good Graces’ wouldn’t sound out of place on a K-pop album with its bright synths and drum and bass instrumentals. The distorted vocals mixed with Carpenter’s deep tones in the post-chorus are addictive. In direct contrast, ‘Sharpest Tool’ takes a more relaxed approach. The almost Harry Styles-esque chorus allows her voice to take centre stage. Carpenter’s ability to effortlessly express her emotions through her lyricism and singing is unmatched: “We were goin’ right, then you took a left / Left me with a lot of shit to second-guess / Guess I’ll waste another year on wonderin’ if / If that was casual, then I’m an idiot”. The lyrics will resonate with anyone who has been through a relationship with someone who constantly had them questioning themselves.
The upbeat vibes are brought straight back with ‘Bed Chem’. Carpenter seems to come alive in this early 2000s RnB track. The beachy guitar riffs and slow drum beat matched with her light and airy vocals allow ‘Bed Chem’ to be an album standout. The artist’s love for tongue-in-cheek lyrics makes a return too: “Come right on me, I mean camaraderie / Said you’re not in my timezone, but you wanna be / Where art thou? Why not uponeth me? / See it in my mind, let’s fulfil the prophecy”. The flirty play on words with camaraderie fits Carpenter’s usually coquettish on-stage personality and will make the track a solid choice to play live on her upcoming tour.
Listeners are taken back to the emails i can’t send era with the acoustic track ‘Dumb & Poetic’. Carpenter explores her time with a manipulative ex who faked being whimsical creating the perfect illusion for their relationship: “Cherry-pick lines like they’re words you invented / Gold star for highbrow manipulation / And “love everyone” is your favourite quotation / Try to come off like you’re soft and well-spoken / Jack off to lyrics by Leonard Cohen”.
‘Juno’ is simply a playful pop song and is sure to become a hit with fans. The deep and incessant bassline paired with the simple preppy guitar riffs will help to make the track a staple in modern pop. Similar to her previous release ‘Nonsense’ and Short n’ Sweet’s ‘Bed ‘Chem’, the lyrics are cheeky: “I showed my friends, then we high-fived / Sorry if you feel objectified / Can’t help myself, hormones are high / Give me more than just some butterflies”. Carpenter’s personality shines through her music and makes her instantly likeable.
The album finishes on another RnB note with the slow and sweet ‘Don’t Smile’. The abundant layers of vocals and adlibs are a joy to dissect and highlight Carpenter’s talents. The artist circles back to thinking about the love triangle we learn about in the album’s first track but this time, Carpenter seems riddled with anxiety: “Don’t smile because it happened, baby / Cry because it’s over / Oh. you’re supposed to think about me / Every time you hold her”. While sonically, the track doesn’t hold the same powerful pop punch that a lot of the album does, ‘Don’t Smile’ is a beautiful and emotional way to end what is possibly one of the best albums of the year.
It seems that Sabrina Carpenter has finally found her musical style and it works brilliantly for her. Short n’ Sweet is pure pop perfection. The album’s production is cohesive and leaves you fulfilled in spite of its short runtime. From ballads to songs you can dance around your room to, the artist can do it all. If Carpenter follows the direction she seems to be going in, then modern pop music is in safe hands.
Words by Amy Britton
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