In the middle of supporting Taylor Swift on her South American leg of the Eras Tour, pop princess Sabrina Carpenter has graced fans with an early Christmas present in the form of a 6 track EP. fruitcake, is a sugary sweet musical feast that, while sticking to a lot of the usual Christmas song stereotypes, is still undoubtedly a Sabrina Carpenter record.
The EP starts on a high with ‘A Nonsense Christmas’, a track that was gifted to fans last year owing to the virality of the track on TikTok after the release of her album emails i can’t send. The song’s peppy instrumentals are no different to the original but the lyrics take on a Christmassy twist. Carpenter is known for her tongue-in-cheek lyrics and her witty comedy shines through once again on this track: “You said you like my stockings better on the floor / Boy, I’ve been a bad girl, I guess I’m getting coal, oh”.
‘santa doesn’t know you like i do’ is an almost Boyzone-esque track with its slowed down drum beat and synthesised keyboard sound. While it does get overshadowed by the more innovative tracks on the record, ‘santa doesn’t know you like i do’ will be a firm favourite for fans that enjoy Carpenter’s more laidback songs.
Following on from the themes of emails i can’t send, ‘cindy lou who’ is an emotional ballad detailing Carpenter’s dismay over finding out her ex-partner has a new girlfriend: “Maybe he met you somewhere in the desert / While he was soul searchin’, he found someone better”. The stripped-back piano and light violin instrumental allows Carpenter’s flawless vocals to take centre stage for the sorrowful track.
‘is it new years yet?’ is the standout song on fruitcake. For those that do not enjoy Christmas and all of its merry cheer, this track is sure to become a favourite with its anti-Christmas sentiments. Carpenter sings about all of the worst parts of Christmas to an almost 80s disco backing track: “Small talk in the kitchen / Dated dumb traditions / Who sucks competition”. The heavy bassline and funky synths make ‘is it new years yet?’ an addictive listen.
For fans that are searching for their new favourite Christmas anthem, ‘buy me presents’ and ‘white xmas’ are sure to fulfil this brief. The classic 90s sounding Christmas backing of ‘buy me presents’ is reminiscent of a Mariah Carey track. The staccato piano and retro saxophone make it a perfect new release to be added to anyone’s festive playlist. ‘white xmas’ provides fans with a jazzy take on a Christmas tune. Listeners are transported to a smoke-filled jazz bar thanks to the song’s focus on acapella vocals and use of the double bass. This rendition of Bing Crosby’s iconic festive track is a satisfying way to round off the EP.
It seems like Sabrina Carpenter has finally found her footing in the pop music world after the release of emails i can’t send and this is only further confirmed by the production of fruitcake. Carpenter’s standout vocals are allowed to shine while being fully supported by the backing track of each song. For any Christmas fan, fruitcake should satisfy the need for some new sweet tunes to enjoy this holiday season.
Words by Amy Britton
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