Sabrina Carpenter has released her new album Short n’ Sweet, just in time for the end of summer flings and situationships. Whether you’re in the honeymoon stage, going through a breakup, or can’t seem to find the right one for you, this album has something for everyone.
While Sabrina has been in the music scene since her Disney channel days, she recently had some big breakout moments, recently opening for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour. From there, she released her two iconic pre-release singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” which would go on to dominate the charts and trend all over social media.
This album has solidified Sabrina’s spot as a main pop girl, expanding her sound with catchy guitar riffs and cheeky laugh-out-loud lines that will be stuck in your head for weeks. Each track is like its own shot of “me-espresso” that you’ll definitely get a caffeine addiction from.
My main gripe with this album is the track length, which really lives up to the name Short n’ Sweet. Half of the 12 tracks are under 3 minutes long, which feels criminally short for how great these songs are. Luckily for me and Sabrina, this album will be on a never-ending loop in my room so it’s like all of the songs last forever!
The track list of Short n’ Sweet starts off with “Taste,” which I can only describe as “Espresso” and “Please Please Please’s” long-lost sister. The song immediately starts with her addicting vocals backed by a punchy guitar. The lyrics describe a love triangle Sabrina is in the middle of, telling the other woman that she’ll “just have to taste me when he’s kissin’ you.” Despite her relationship being short n’ sweet, she states that she “left quite an impression” on her ex. This song perfectly encapsulates Sabrina’s carefree attitude and fun energy and will definitely be her biggest hit from the album.
Another 10/10 for me was “Bed Chem,” a charming R&B style song inspired by Christina Aguilera and other throwback songs Sabrina grew up listening to. The song is about Sabrina meeting her now boyfriend Barry Keoghan at Paris Fashion Week last year. She reminisces on the track about the “cute boy with the white jacket and the thick accent.” Full of innuendos and goofy punchlines, this song will surely be one you will play again.
A hidden gem on this record is “Juno,” whose name is a reference to the 2007 movie of the same name starring Elliot Page. This bubblegum pop song features her soft, sweet voice paired with flirty lyrics as she talks about the way her partner makes her feel, saying, “You make me wanna make you fall in love.” She also wants her partner to “give me more than just some butterflies.”
Relationships aren’t always perfect, however. In “Lie to Girls” and “Dumb & Poetic,” Sabrina shows her vulnerable side as she criticizes a former lover with lyrics like “Just cause you leave like one doesn’t make you a man,” and “You don’t have to lie to girls, if they like you they’ll just lie to themselves.” She also criticizes her own taste in men, as she falls for them for the “aesthetic.” These slower, more emotional songs add a new sound to this album other than the usual upbeat pop we have seen from Sabrina.
Short n’ Sweet is just a taste of what’s to come for Sabrina Carpenter’s career. With the sold out Short n’ Sweet Tour kicking off on September 23rd in Columbus, everyone is screaming “Please Please Please get me tickets!” (including me!)
