August 23, American pop singer-songwriter and actress Sabrina Carpenter released her long-awaited sixth studio album titled “Short n’ Sweet.” Fans ecstatically welcomed this album after the songs of the summer “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” released as singles for the album, quickly dominated the music charts. Announced June 3 through her social media, the album features a wide variety of topics including flirtatious plays on words — her signature — and relatable remarks on her exes.
Initially known for her star acting role on hit TV show “Girl Meets World,” Carpenter signed a five-album deal with Hollywood Records at the young age of 14, where she released her debut single “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying.” She later signed with Island Records and produced her fifth studio album in 2022, “Emails I Can’t Send,” which she recognizes as her first studio album as a full time musical artist. After years of transitioning from a young Disney star to an official singer, opening for Taylor Swift at her famous “The Eras Tour” fully boosted Carpenter into a position where she accepted a fame status for her hit single “Espresso.” This pushed her to officially announce and release her “second big-girl album,” “Short n’ Sweet.”
“I have always loved Sabrina Carpenter, including her old music, so I have followed the release of this album for months. Her voice is so bubbly and she is truly a pop star with funny jokes hidden in the verses. Her music draws people in and has even her haters singing verses because it is stuck in their heads. I love the use of 70’s sounds throughout the album and mixing it with early 2000s pop. She is really bringing back what pop-stars used to be and her stage presence is impeccable,” senior Kaydence Malcom said.
With support for her singles and their subsequent music videos that released throughout the summer, the amount of love “Short n’ Sweet” received over a short period of time came as no surprise to fans. The album features 12 tracks, totalling at 36 minutes — remaining true to the name. Opening with folk-pop mixed with R&B song “Taste,” centered on revenge regarding a past relationship, lyrics referring to cheating and flirting set the tone for the album. Carpenter includes numerous references to several dark movies in the music video, the first to release of the album, which stars American actress Jenna Ortega.
As the album progresses, Carpenter sings her way through a romantic betrayal, noticed in tracks four and five, “Sharpest Tool” and “Coincidence.” These two tracks take the listener through a humorous and sharp-minded story about how her ex always finds his way to other girls. Although a large portion of the album maintains an upbeat vibe and clever lyrics, the album rounds out with “Don’t Smile,” a true representation of the aftermath of a breakup. The heartbreak and pain pouring out of the track offers contrast to the cheerful and optimistic lyrics seen in the beginning half of the album.
“I really disliked her as an artist and her entire discography up until this album mostly because of how plain her music sounded to me even after multiple attempts of listening to get into her. This album reminds me of genuine bliss and closure from people who have done you wrong while also having the album be fun. My favorite track is ‘Juno,’ the production and delivery from Sabrina’s lines really just land in every way,” senior JP Garcia said.
Carpenter proves her musically diverse range through this album both vocally and lyrically. She created a tracklist that truly caters to all feelings of a relationship, automatically becoming relatable to almost anyone. The successful artist proved herself not only in the acting world, but in the music realm as well — as seen through the success of her summer singles. Fans will continue to support her music as she and her fanbase grow. Whether one faces “Slim Pickins” or listens to almost any genre of music, Carpenter’s newest album should definitely reside in music listeners’ playlists.
The Chant’s rating: A
