With the popularity of her Billboard No. 1 global song of the summer and first single of the album “Espresso,” all eyes and ears are on Sabrina Carpenter and the release of her sixth album, “Short n’ Sweet” on Aug. 23.
As she says in the first track of the new album, “Oh, I leave quite an impression, five feet to be exact,” and the album sure does. The 12 new tracks are full of poetic lyrics, unabashedly sultry moments and beats reminiscent of 2010s pop music, with a lot of buzz building around a potential Grammy nomination.
Anyone who loved Carpenter’s previous songs “Already Over,” “Fast Times” and “On Purpose” are bound to love “Short n’ Sweet.”
For those familiar with Carpenter’s work, “Short n’ Sweet” feels like the cool older sister of her album “Emails I Can’t Send,” except the lyrics are even more unapologetic, and Carpenter takes more risks. Track four, “Sharpest tool,” is very reminiscent of “Tornado Warnings” from “Emails I can’t send.” They have similar melancholic verses with faster lyrics, almost like she is thinking at high speed.
One of the most popular tracks on the album is “Taste.” This song is so popular because it is not only the first track on the album but also has its own music video. The “Taste” music video is campy and satirical, taking inspiration and references from many movies with murderous themes, like “Psycho,” “Death Becomes Her” and “Kill Bill: Volume 1.” The video also stars the current scream queen herself, Jenna Ortega.
One of my favorite tracks from the album is “Slim Pickins.” The songwriting on this track is clever, with lines like “This boy doesn’t even know the difference between ‘there,’ ‘their,’ and ‘they are,’ yet he’s naked in my room.” It highlights a common struggle that many women face: slim pickings when it comes to finding a boyfriend.
With this new release, Carpenter proved she is here to stay as a pop princess. Her unique lyrics and style will keep new and old fans alike interested in seeing what she comes up with next, showcasing that Carpenter’s wild success with “Espresso” was sweet, and her reign will be anything but short.
