It’s been a phenomenal year for Sabrina Carpenter. “Short n’ Sweet,” her sixth studio album, not only earned six Grammy nominations but also won two, catapulting her into the musical big leagues. Her world tour is still going strong, and she even got her own Christmas special on Netflix.
So it’s no surprise that she would release a deluxe edition of her most popular album. Announced after her Grammy nominations, the deluxe edition was released on Valentine’s Day. It features four new songs and a new recording of the album’s hit single “Please Please Please,” which is a special treat for her fans as it features the legendary country singer Dolly Parton. The new cover also came with a new music video released on the same day.
“Fifteen Minutes”
A wonderful song that feels like it was made as “getting ready music,” the type of song meant to be listened to while prepping to go out with your friends on a Saturday night. Per Carpenter's brand, it’s laced with innuendos, though it’s not as substantial as some of her other tracks featured on the original album. Overall, it's a fine little song with little to it.
“Please Please Please (ft. Dolly Parton)”
The song has been slowed down significantly and remixed to sound more “southern.” The profanity in the chorus has also been removed, probably in an attempt to appeal to the sensibilities of the country charts. Carpenter’s voice somewhat overpowers Parton’s. In fact, Parton only sings a couple of lines on her own — it seems more like a vanity feature than anything else. It doesn’t add anything to the song, and I don’t think I’ll be listening to this version over the original anytime soon.
“Couldn’t Make It Any Harder”
A ballad! I’ve always thought these were one of Carpenter’s strengths (seeing as she comes from a musical theater background). She croons about struggling to accept compliments in a retro number that you could slow dance too. Usually Carpenter plays the uninterested vixen who doesn’t care, but in this song she really cares, adding some much needed complexity to her persona. Personally, it’s my favorite of all these new songs.
“Busy Woman”
A lively dance number that caters to a diverse audience, including straight women (because, let's be honest, they need dance music too). It’s a song that could easily find a place in the playlist of a middle school dance, right alongside Taylor Swift's “Shake It Off.” This track features one of Sabrina Carpenter’s most puzzling lines: “If you don’t want me, I’ll just deem you gay.” That might raise some eyebrows, but at least it doesn’t venture into the territory of totally inappropriate lyrics — I’m looking at you, “Sharpest Tool.” Despite its flaws, it’s an okay song that’s worth a listen.
“Bad Reviews”
Another country-inspired song, this one about choosing to be with someone despite people telling you not to. I think this song would benefit from an extra minute because at only 2 minutes and 22 seconds, this song introduces a complex idea but doesn’t have the time to deliver on it. I like this song, but I really wish there was more — an unfortunately common occurrence in Carpenter’s music.
In my review of the initial release of “Short n’ Sweet,” I called it just that — it clocks in at only 32 minutes long. While I understand why these songs weren’t included on the original album, they were mostly fun pop songs that I’ll be adding onto my playlist.
