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From her early days of Disney Channel stardom to her Broadway debut in “Mean Girls the Musical,” Sabrina Carpenter has once again secured her rightful place in the public eye (and ear) with the release of her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” on Friday.

“Short n’ Sweet” is her second studio album with Island Records, despite having released 4 other works earlier in her career. The 12-song project combines components of disco, pop and country with straightforward, comedic lyrics that match the tone of her previous work. In the wake of her immensely successful pre-released singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” this summer, the pop singer demonstrates she can stand alongside other pop icons of our time like Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa.

Following the conclusion of The Emails I Can’t Send Tour in August 2023, Carpenter remained busy with projects, from opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour to teaming up with Girl In Red for a single, “You Need Me Now?” in March. On April 11, however, the singer started a new chapter in her discography by teasing the “Short n’ Sweet” lead single “Espresso.”

“Espresso” quickly climbed the charts and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, worming its way into the minds of many. The song’s blend of disco-pop elements and uniquely playful lyrics like “Walked in and dream-came-trued it for ya” and “I know I Mountain Dew it for ya” set the tone for a tongue-in-cheek summer smash hit, complete with an over-the-top beachy music video.

The song inspired a TikTok trend called the Espresso riff, originating from a singer named Echo Picone. “Espresso” resonated with other artists, like Grammy Award winner Adele, who praised the song during her Las Vegas residency in May.

Less than two months later on June 6, the pop superstar released another single, “Please Please Please,” which shared similar acclaim and popularity, achieving the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song takes the form of a plea, and Carpenter urges her love interest to be on his best behavior to save her from seemingly imminent embarrassment.

The singer also released an accompanying music video, featuring “Saltburn” star Barry Keoghan, which continued the “Espresso” music video storyline. Between dating rumors surrounding the two and Keoghan’s history with his ex-girlfriend, his performance in the video perfectly encapsulates Carpenter’s comedic and self-aware nature.

Despite her comedic tone, Carpenter proves even sad or serious moments can be impactful. In an Instagram post announcing the project, Carpenter writes, “I thought if something was funny enough to make me laugh then maybe it belonged in a song. happy or sad!”

A perfect example of this sad-but-funny sentiment is the fourth track, “Sharpest Tool.” The song laments a relationship in which Carpenter never received closure, making it one of the more emotionally charged songs on the album. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, she discussed how the song has the most significant emotional impact on her.

“That’s the way life is. You go, ‘Oh, actually we never really, like, solved that problem’ or ‘We never really had that conversation,’” she said.

Learning to live with unrequited love or a bland goodbye is an unfortunate reality for many. In an era chock-full of avoidant communication styles and hookup culture, it’s often difficult to distinguish between casual and serious. In the song, Carpenter sings,“If that was casual, then I’m an idiot,” calling attention to the gray area in so-called platonic relationships.

The sixth track, “Bed Chem,” is a return to the playful flirtiness of the earlier singles. At its core, the song is a sex anthem of vibrant imagery and raunchy innuendos. The production maintains heavy disco elements and is reminiscent of the Bee Gees, a band Carpenter labeled an inspiration in the Apple Music interview.

Carpenter is no stranger to this style of lyricism; her previous project featured the song “Nonsense,” which garnered attention because of its unapologetic portrayal of the artist’s desire. In “Short n’ Sweet,” she expands on these feelings to make for an album that accurately depicts the thoughts and reveries of young adults. Despite the explicit implications of her lyrics, the singer doesn’t lose any of the depth present in the collective work.

Ayush Sawant | Digital Editor

Later in the album comes a track called “Slim Pickins,” which Carpenter premiered live at the Grammy Museum in L.A. on Aug. 2. The song returns to the comedic but tragic tone of “Sharpest Tool” by using country music elements.

The singer vocalizes feeling dejected by the lack of viable suitors in her life. She settles for a less choice-worthy option, singing “If I can’t have the one I love / I guess it’s you that I’ll be kissin.’” Although the lyrics are humorous, the underlying message has a realist view, which seems to be a major theme within the project. Her vocals on this track are reminiscent of a young Dolly Parton, which smoothly contrasts the modern problems detailed in the lyrics.

All 36 minutes and 12 seconds of “Short n’ Sweet” are exactly as the title implies. Sabrina Carpenter demonstrates she has grown immensely as an artist since her last album, and this project is her most cohesive and thematically succinct thus far. Her funky use of genres like pop-rock, disco and country creates an original sound that completes her humorous, but still deeply relatable, lyrics.

The extreme success of the singles thus far along with the upcoming tour, makes me believe “Short n’ Sweet” will be one of the top-performing albums of the year. Given this extremely optimistic view of the record, one might be wondering “Is it that sweet?” Concurring with Carpenter herself, I feel compelled to answer with “I guess so.”

Published on August 27, 2024 at 10:51 pm