Sabrina Carpenter has taken the world by storm recently, with her fun persona and humorous lyrics. She released her sixth album titled “Short n’ Sweet”, on August 23, and I will be going track by track through her new LP, reviewing the instrumentation, performance, and lyrical substance.
Taste
The opening track of the album, “Taste”, is a strong start to the LP. The song starts quickly, dismissing a lead up, and opting for a heavy guitar which carries the production of the track. The drums follow suit, creating a head-banging instrumentation. Sabrina skates along the song with ease, deciding to stay in her lower range throughout most of the song, only kicking it up towards the end with her head-voice. In the song, Sabrina sings to another girl who has a relationship with one of her previous lovers. However, instead of being happy for them, she almost taunts the other girl with lines like, “You’ll just have to taste me when he’s kissing you”, paving the way for the rest of the tracks on the record.
Please Please Please
Released earlier during the album’s rollout, “Please Please Please” has a playful sound and is one of the more unorthodox songs on the album. Switching from the driving tempo of “Taste”, this song opts to take things slower, forcing the listener to hear the story she is trying to tell. In the lyrics, Sabrina sings about one of her lovers, who she is begging not to embarrass her in front of the entire world. It is different, but the song has a fun sound.
Good Graces
Sabrina is brutally honest in “Good Graces,” drawing her boundaries and letting the whole world know to stay on her good side. This song, with quick high-hats and a loud snare drum, gets you moving, despite the use of explicit language. Sabrina’s performance is free, sounding as if she is driving with the windows down and the wind blowing past her face.
Sharpest Tool
“Sharpest Tool” has a quick tempo and an upsetting story. The track takes a muted approach with an alternative twist, adding driving guitars and a steady, almost lo-fi drumbeat. Her voice is light, steering the song to be virtually bass-less, which adds to the instrumentations light approach. The song talks about… well, not talking about it. The artist sings about how upsetting it is to not have closure about someone you used to be with, make her ask whether what happened truly meant anything at all.
Coincidence
“Coincidence” is Sabrina putting a spotlight on one of her past lovers, and poking fun at his present relationship. The song is full of hilarious one liners and jokes that make me laugh out loud as I listen. The guitar is strong at first, but when the artist begins singing, the instrumental goes quiet. The track sounds quite joyful if you ignore her performance, which is of undermining tone and could embarrass the likes of anyone who hurts her.
Bed Chem
“Bed Chem” starts like a 90’s RnB song. While an explicit song in the sense of subject matter, the instrumental features chimes and snaps that are reminiscent of an old Usher song, with a slice of Sabrina’s pop persona. The artist’s voice moves up and down throughout the song, opting for high-pitched vocals during the chorus and a lower, bass-filled change during the verses. Neglecting the lyrics, which are raunchy at best, the track is great for dancing and having a great time.
Espresso
The first single released before the album’s rollout, “Espresso” is considered Sabrina’s break out record, now being called the song of the summer. The production of “Espresso” makes you moves with thumping 808’s and a smooth vocal. Sabrina’s voice is doubled to make it larger and bringing the song to feel as fun as it. The lyrics, despite their questionable grammar choices, are a testament to the singers earned confidence and her humor with lines like, “You know I mountain dew it for you”. Her performance is restricted and doesn’t go along with the chord progression of the song, but somehow finds a way to be one of the most ear-catching songs on the album.
Dumb & Poetic
“Dumb & Poetic” is the heart of the album. The song sits in the middle of the record, acting as a break from the drum and electric guitar heavy instrumentations. “Dumb & Poetic” has a simple chord progression played on an acoustic guitar, backed by ethereal vocalizations and strings. Sabrina’s voice is the focus of the song, singing exhaustedly and really painting her frustrations with the person she sings about. She pulls out lyrics like, “Just cause you act like one, doesn’t make you a man”, and talks about the irritating behavior of someone she loved.
Slim Pickins
In this song, Sabrina almost sounds like she’s an undiscovered country artist playing in a bar. The twang of slide guitars coupled with the hits of brushes against a soft drum kit give way for Sabrina’s voice to make the song as catchy as it is. She overenunciates certain words, playing into the instrumental of the track and proving for a fun look at her predicament. Sabrina sings about not being able to find the type of men she truly likes and settles for boys who don’t know the difference between, “there, their, and they are”.
Juno
“Juno”, while a great song, is not for the ears of anymore under the age of sixteen. The instrumental is inviting and, like she says in the song, makes you want to “fall in love”. However, the track is explicit and explores a sultrier side of the romantic attraction expressed in the album. Despite the subject matter, the song has a very interesting instrumental with an abundance of fun ear-candy and vocal runs.
Lie To Girls
“Lie To Girls” is just as catchy as it is heartbreaking. The song builds softly, beginning with an acoustic guitar, then moving to a choir of backing vocals and synths, and once again returning to the guitar. Her vocals on the track are tender, evoking a sympathetic response from the listener. She sings about how girls, including herself, will tell themselves everything is okay, even if they aren’t. The song is a hard-hitting eye opener, aimed at the men who lie to their partners, acknowledging their behavior and telling those men that it is pointless, because girls will treat themselves horribly for them anyway.
Don’t Smile
The end of the album features a vulnerable and salty chorus that is too catchy for anyone to resist. “Don’t Smile”, while slightly toxic, brings to light the feeling of wanting to be missed by the people who have wronged us. The instrumental is simple and constant, sporting a slide guitar and steady drum loop. Sabrina’s performance on the last track sounds exhausted, like she is tired of pretending like she isn’t hurt by the men from her past. It is a beautiful and backwards end to the album, fading out, making the listener feel as though the song could go on forever.
To me, this album is an 8.5/10, and I highly recommend giving it a listen on whichever streaming platform you have access to.
