After bringing us two hit singles this summer, Sabrina Carpenter finally released her highly anticipated album “Short n’ Sweet” on Aug. 23. With just 12 tracks, the album really was quite short with about a 36 minute runtime. But just how sweet was this album?
The first four songs of the album are insanely strong. Leading with “Taste” and followed up by “Please Please Please,” Carpenter shows us just how embarrassing a man can be. My personal favorite, “Good Graces,” stands out from the album to me. I believe it really shows her range, and brings us a similar style to singers like Ariana Grande. “Sharpest Tool,” the fourth song, is a little repetitive but still very good. These core four really bring in the summer pop album we were hoping for.
Other songs in the album sound a little too similar for me. “Coincidence,” “Lie To Girls,” and “Dumb & Poetic” sort of fall into the void for me, and don’t bring an individual flair like other songs. “Juno” showcases similar vibes as “Bed Chem,” but I think “Bed Chem” is the better song overall. I wish she had switched it up a bit and written more about other life experiences rather than just boys who broke her heart.
Of course, we all remember the hit single “Espresso” that took radio stations by storm this summer. I think “Espresso” really gets shown up by other songs on this album, but it was the perfect choice for a single. It’s catchy, fun, and she did some amazing brand deals with it. The other two songs – “Slim Pickins” and “Don’t Smile”– were both great in their own ways. “Don’t Smile” is extremely relatable (“Don’t smile because it happened, baby, cry because it’s over.”) and “Slim Pickins” shows how hard it can be to find the right guy.
I’m not sure how the album compares to “Emails I Can’t Send,” Carpenter’s previous album. On one hand, it’ll be hard to beat hits like “Nonsense” and “because i liked a boy”, which are amazing in many ways. On the other, I have this new album on repeat any chance I can get. It’s beautiful lyrically and vocally, and Carpenter did a really nice job piecing it together.
All in all, I would give the album a solid 8 out of 10. A few forgettable songs, but some really great ones I’m already blasting in my car. My top picks: “Good Graces,” “Bed Chem,” and “Taste.” I would say it definitely lived up to my expectations. I was hoping it would exceed them, but I’m content with what we got. I think her career is about to take a turn for the better.
