Over the past several years, we’ve witnessed the emergence of a new breed of pop stars characterized by their unique sound and ability to connect with a younger audience. Among these, Sabrina Carpenter’s distinct talent shines. Her fifth album, “Emails I Can’t Send,” and its second single, “Nonsense,” which gained significant traction on TikTok, have firmly established her as one of the breakout artists of the decade.
At the beginning of the summer, Carpenter unveiled “Please Please Please,” a track that many hailed as the anthem of the season. The following announcement of her fourth tour was met with such fervor that tickets sold out in a flash. And in August 2024, she finally dropped her sixth album, “Short n’ Sweet’,” further cementing her position as one of the leading figures in Gen Z pop alongside Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan.
“Taste”
The song starts with a punchy punk guitar riff that I love. It boldly declares that whatever you do, you’ll never be his ex. Carpenter brings her acting chops to the table when she sings about how she was “already there.” Overall, it’s a great opener to the album.
“Please Please Please”
This song took over my For You Page this summer for a good reason: it opens with an 80s synth beat that instantly makes you wanna get up and dance. Carpenter’s ability to switch between octaves in the chorus makes the song irresistibly catchy and a likely mainstay of pop radio stations for years to come, and I am happy about it. I’ll probably hate it for being overplayed in two years, but I’m glad to bop my head to it now.
“Good Graces”
The beat and instrumentals take center stage in another significant dance number as Carpenter’s vocals fall into a slight mumble. The lyrics also leave something to be desired, but the beat is catchy enough to carry the song all by itself.
“Sharpest Tool”
In this song, Carpenter departs from her Barbie-core image to give the audience a vulnerable look at a man who broke her heart. Carpenter weaves in many ultra-specific details to paint a vivid picture of her relationship. There are many great lines, but my favorite is "You found God at your ex’s house." Just incredible.
“Coincidence”
This track draws inspiration from the ’70s, with a perky acoustic guitar and a backing choir singing “na na na” behind the whole track. Carpenter cheekily sings about a girl her man can’t seem to ignore, and it makes for another bop.
“Bed Chem”
Another retro bop, this song falls into Carpenter’s usual trap of stumbling over and slurring together words. But despite that, the song still has enough to love, and the slower beat works to its advantage. However, it is too short for its own good, at 2 minutes and 51 seconds.
“Espresso”
Despite my best efforts, I find it challenging to fully appreciate this song. Carpenter’s voice is at its most unintelligible, and the lyrics, even when decipherable, seem to lack coherence. I recall watching her perform it on SNL with my parents, and we could not grasp the essence of her words. Even after multiple listens to this review, I relied on a lyric video to comprehend the lyrics. The beat, while decent, struggles to maintain its appeal throughout the entire song.
“Dumb & Poetic”
Finally, a proper ballad! I wanted a slower number on an album full of great dance songs. However, I get the impression that Carpenter is somewhat uncomfortable with this slower song, as it’s the album’s shortest song. Nevertheless, “Jack off to lyrics by Leonard Cohen” is perhaps the funniest insult I’ve ever heard, so its shorter length might be forgiven.
“Slim Pickins”
Somewhat out of left field, this song has a country twang. Though her music is unlikely to please any hardcore country fans, it’s a fun little detour toward Nashville that presents a fun little hypothetical.
“Juno”
Another somewhat slower number that, in a classy way, tells a boy to get her pregnant. It’s a solid love song that is infinitely better due to the title’s fitting reference to the 2007 film of the same name.
“Lie to Girls”
Carpenter’s remarkably emotional singing is incredible. The song is about gaslighting yourself that your boyfriend is actually a good person, and it’s unbelievable in the way it slowly builds up and then crescendos back down. It’s a fantastic penultimate track, and the specific lyrics really put you into Carpenter's shoes and are guaranteed to move you deeply.
“Don’t Smile”
The album ends not with a bang but with some lo-fi beats to study and relax to. It’s a fine song, just not anything to write home about. I might be more forgiving if this was in the middle of the album, but come on, Sabrina, this isn’t a song you end an album with.
Overall, “Short n’ Sweet” is just that — a short, fun album to put on during a long drive or on a record player as you dance around in your room pretending to get ready for a Beatles concert in 1964 (What, you've never done that before?). Though it struggles in some places, it’s a fascinating, diverse journey that proves Carpenter is here to stay as a pop star.
