Around this time last year, Sabrina Carpenter began opening for Taylor Swift on the South American leg of the Eras Tour.
With Swift’s global reach leaving all eyes on Carpenter, she gained popularity rapidly, finally getting the recognition her discography deserves. Shortly after she finished touring with Swift, she released what was soon to be the song of the summer: “Espresso.”
It was inescapable. With a chokehold on the radio, TikTok, and my brain, the song was stuck in my head for months. Her new level of public admiration was undoubtedly a factor in the success of “Espresso” and the heightened anticipation of her upcoming album.
Now, the album has been released, and every song is stuck in my head: this time, by choice. Short n’ Sweet came out on Aug. 23, only a few days ago, but it has soundtracked every car ride, homework session, and spare moment since its release.
The album opens with “Taste,” a song that screams “pop hit.” It’s an upbeat, vindictive track about Carpenter’s ex’s new girlfriend and how she will feel Carpenter’s effect on him even though she’s gone. No track is complete without its accompanying lore, and this is no exception. Carpenter was spotted with Shawn Mendes a while back, and he allegedly got back together with Camilla Cabello recently, making Cabello the subject of the song.
“Please Please Please” is the next track and the second single from the album. This song somehow sounds better when listened to in conjunction with the full album. Normally, singles seem to stick out and struggle to blend into the album because fans already know them so well. That is not the case with Short n’ Sweet; this track and “Espresso” are very sonically cohesive with the other songs. I especially love the bridge of this song, and something about the way she sings, “If you don’t wanna cry to my music / Don’t make me hate you prolifically” is so enjoyable. Aside from Mendes, Barry Keoghan is known to be this album’s major muse, even starring in this song’s music video. The song is about dating in the public eye, which isn’t necessarily a relatable concept to most, but listening is an enjoyable experience nonetheless. Her vocals are what stood out to me in this song—and they continue to stand out throughout the entire album.
The next track is “Good Graces,” which is another upbeat song. Carpenter warns her significant other to stay on her good side—in her good graces—or she will move on. She writes of being love-struck and then contrasts it with how she would change if her lover wronged her. This is one of those songs that seems to be made for singing along, with its curated carefree vibe and empowering theme.
“Sharpest Tool” is my personal favorite, which is subject to change but probably won’t. It isn’t quite upbeat, but it’s not a slow ballad either, which is the tempo I prefer in songs. The lyrics describe a relationship that seemingly ended abruptly and left Carpenter unsure of lots of things. One lyric stood out to me as a parallel to her song “decode” from her previous album, emails i can’t send. In “decode,” Carpenter finds closure by finally giving up trying to understand a finished relationship. In “Sharpest Tool,” she sings, “If that was casual then I’m an idiot / I’m looking for an answer in between the lines,” suggesting that she is repeating the pattern she went through before, overanalyzing before realizing there’s nothing left to work out.
Farther down on the tracklist is the song that I was personally most excited for: “Dumb & Poetic.” Carpenter describes a flawed relationship with someone who tries to appear sophisticated and poetic, but in reality, doesn’t treat her with the same maturity. The raw honesty of the lyrics translates beautifully into her vocals, with heartbreak heard throughout the chorus.
Directly after is “Slim Pickins,” which Carpenter performed at the Grammy Museum in early August. After listening to snippets of the acoustic performance circulating on social media, I immediately fell in love. The fully-produced track is not too overbearing, however, and isn’t far off from Carpenter’s acoustic version. The song explains that despite Carpenter’s low, low bar for her significant other, she cannot find a suitable match. “This boy doesn’t even know / The difference between ‘there,’ ‘their’ and ‘they are’” is my favorite lyric from this song, and possibly from the whole album, as I’m a grammar fanatic and am easily bothered by mistakes like homophone misuse.
The final two tracks, “Lie To Girls” and “Don’t Smile,” are mellow songs that wrap up the album well. “Lie To Girls” is emotional and honest, admitting that girls, and Carpenter herself, will lie to themselves for the benefit of their relationships, so there’s no need to lie to them. “Don’t Smile” is a twist on the famous Dr. Seuss quote, “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Instead, Carpenter is less optimistic, advising to do the opposite of Dr. Seuss’ wise words. Carpenter is talented at choosing her final tracks, with “decode” sounding like a natural ending. “Don’t Smile” is a perfect, bitter track denoting the end of a relationship.
As expressed above, I love every song on this album. My only issue with this album is how the title reigns true: the album feels so short. Carpenter may only be 4’11”, but that’s no excuse for the album to only be 36 minutes. 30 without the singles, which is how I prefer to listen as I already know the singles and want to hear just the new songs. With my expectations initially through the roof, I am grateful to Carpenter that she delivered and dropped the album that I will continue to obsess over throughout the fall.
