Over the past few years, Sabrina Carpenter has exalted herself from child star to sultry pop sensation. The highly anticipated album Short n’ Sweet, released on August 23rd, serves as Sabrina’s “tell all” as she reigns the charts as pop’s newest princess. First debuting in 2015 with Eyes Wide Open, the release of her sixth studio album, is the culmination of everything she’s learned and everyone she’s loved.
SOUND
Sabrina shows a stylistic range throughout this album that explores the multitude of influences on pop music as a genre. Coinciding with the visual aspects of this album, she spins a retro rewind through each track that serves as an ode to the pop divas we grew up with. The album's opener, “Taste” is an edgy intro that starts at a mid-tempo beat with subtle “pop-rock” undertones in the bridge that resemble mainstream pop’s current alt-rock influence. Then Sabrina dives into her dreamy harmonies on stand-out singles “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” which hooked the public with their disco-pop melodies as soon as they were released. She transitions to a more R&B-pop sound on “Good Graces” and “Bed Chem," resembling the iconic 2010s rhythms and hooks of Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey, and even Katy Perry. She balances these dance tracks with a singer-songwriter approach in “Sharpest Tool,” “Dumb and Poetic,” and “Lie To Girls.” These tracks present a more stripped-down and intimate spotlight on her sentimental vocal arrangements. The last sub-genre woven into this record is country-pop, and even a touch of '70s rock on tracks like “Coincidence” and “Slim Pickins”. The acoustic rhythms and instrumental plucking remind us of her mentor, Taylor Swift's early career hits. In the final track, “Don’t Smile,” Sabrina rides out her angelic vocals over a steady tempo, wrapping up her twisted fairytale. She sonically
transports her fans through time with chimes, bells, and just a few whistles.
LYRICS
Short N’ Sweet packs a punch, and Sabrina knew it would. She spares no details or lyrical
comparison of the trials and tribulations with an old lover and with her new boo. As speculators,
this album made most of us bring out our maps and connect all the dots. From her risky innuendos to her blatant exclamations, Sabrina shares her heart and her mind with us all. Her album opener, “Taste” has caused a lot of controversy as she explores the classic tale of two women fighting for the same man’s affection. Sabrina states, “Every time you close your eyes//And feel his lips, you're feelin' mine//And every time you breathe his air//Just know I was already there,” letting her rival know she isn’t going down easily. This track, along with “Sharpest Tool," “Dumb and Poetic," and “Coincidence,” are rumored to be about her ex-fling, Shawn Mendes, and navigating the toxicity that was cultivated by a boy who couldn’t make up his mind.
Regardless of the who, a major concept of this album is Sabrina exploring her own emotional
boundaries in her relationships with men, as well as mending the relationship between her heart and her
pride. She expresses her fears in “Please Please Please” stating “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherfucker// please please please”. In “Good Graces.” She also taunts her lover, stating, “You should stay in my good graces//Or I'll switch it up like that so fast//'Cause no one's more amazin' At turnin' lovin' into hatred.” She hints at her rumored relationship with Barry Keoghan as they navigate their connection and heightened fame at the same time. Coincidently she also raves about him in “Bed Chem,” stating “Who's the cute guy with the wide, blue eyes and the big bad mm?” and “Come right on me, I mean camaraderie// Said you're not in my timezone, but you wanna be// Where art thou?//Why not uponeth me?”. Sabrina never shies away from lyrical play in her music. Her single “Espresso” is also riddled with innuendos of her being her lover's drug of choice.
In its entirety, this album lyrically explores the nuances of her relationships with men, mainly as
it regards trust. There is a use of repetition throughout this album, specifically in her outros gives
insight into how her lingering feelings on love and lust rattle her mind making it oh so
complicated to cultivate healthy romantic relationships.
ART BEHIND THE ALBUM
The stunning portrait with a kiss on the shoulder thematically ties into each of the visuals released
for this album. Sabrina Released three videos for singles “Espresso,” “Please Please Please”, and
“Taste”. Each one emulates an old Hollywood aesthetic and hints at classic cinematic moments, and themes such as Death Becomes Her in “Taste" and Overboard in “Espresso," as well as
re-creating a classic mob story in “Please Please Please”. Her Prada Lipstick serves as a tool in
each of her visuals, connecting them to the cover of the album. The art behind this album is just as
compelling as the lyrical and melodic story being told throughout each track.
The highly-relatable album is rated a 9/10 on the Intersect Rating Scale as Sabrina Carpenter shows
not only range but growth. Listen to Short n' Sweet below.
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