Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Satisfies a Musical Sweet Tooth

The summer’s pop princess Sabrina Carpenter’s Aug. 23 album release “Short n’ Sweet” is just as the name suggests. Attempting to bring early 2000’s nostalgia to the forefront, Carpenter instead recycles contemporary pop blueprints. Despite lackluster production, the album succeeds solely on her syrupy vocals and semi-sensual lyricism.   

Carpenter starts the album with “Taste,” a track directed at her former partner’s new lover. Without the visual aspect of an epilogue, where Carpenter and co-star Jenna Ortega kill their shared lover, the upbeat instrumentals and light-hearted lyrics are dampened by the “jealous ex” stereotype typically used to pit women against each other.

“Please Please Please,” the album’s second single release, throws a wrench in Carpenter’s sonic flow. Carpenter essentially begs her partner to be faithful, thoughtful and show affection — the bare minimum for a relationship. Repetitive lyrics and synth-style instrumentals reek with Jack Antonoff’s formulaic and restrictive production style.

Turning away from the slower song of desperation, Carpenter switches genres with an early 2000’s R&B inspired track “Good Graces.” Simplistic in nature, the song manages to escape the catchy, TikTok audio pander of the preceding track.

The album navigates through the nuances of contemporary relationships with “Sharpest Tool” being its first, full-force discussion. As the song progresses, Carpenter trudges through the muddy waters of modern “casual” relationships and their lack of true communication.

Her voice towers over the guitar strumming, creating an almost acoustic opening before the chorus adds depth with chimes, drum kicks and electric guitar. 

“We had sex, I met your best friends / Then a bird flies by and you forget,” Carpenter sings. 

Carpenter begins to second-guess her partner’s dedication in “Coincidence.” The singer notices her partner falling back in touch with an ex-lover. There’s an undertone of heartache hidden in Carpenter’s vocals, which could be due to her cold, austere persona. 

“Bed Chem” is the album’s raunchiest song filled with sexually suggestive lyrics and sultry vocals. The decision to produce the track in a smooth R&B style maintained the album’s venture into promiscuity but leaves a wanting for more from Carpenter’s pen. 

“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? / See it in my mind, let’s fulfill the prophecy,” Carpenter sings. 

The album’s first single “Espresso” is also one of its weakest. While catchy, the acclaim and TikTok virality left the track overplayed and underwhelming when compared to the rest of “Short n’ Sweet.” The track lacks depth both sonically and lyrically, complete with overly used choruses, baseline verses and apathetic vocals. 

Carpenter attempts and fails to deliver a slow, reflective song with “Dumb & Poetic.” It’s hard to distinguish the loaded emotions from the bare-boned lyrics. But with verses about masturbating to Leonard Cohen lyrics and the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms, Carpenter abandons any thoughtful critique on the topic of manhood. 

“Slim Pickins” is Carpenter’s take on a twangy country tune. The singer’s vocal prowess grasps the track as Carpenter smoothly transitions to higher vocals and back down. Unlike her adaptable voice, the song describes her search for the perfect partner.

“Juno” is the album’s final upbeat track. Carpenter sings openly of being fully invested in a partner, falling in love and letting him “make me Juno,” an allusion to the eponymous 2007 film following a teen’s unexpected pregnancy. Carpenter’s vocals flourish in the song’s bridge, while the instrumentals drop off before a full-send final chorus. 

Speaking directly to an unfaithful partner, Carpenter reflects on romance’s delusional, rose-colored glasses in “Lie To Girls,” trapping herself in a cycle of second-guessing herself and the truth in order to keep her partner around. 

“The girl outside the strip club getting her tarot cards read / We love to read the cold, hard facts and swear they’re incorrect / We love to mistake butterflies for cardiac arrest,” Carpenter sings. 

Despite a wary, disordered tracklist, Carpenter immaculately chose her final track “Don’t Smile.” The song is a direct juxtaposition to the Dr. Suess quote, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened” — Carpenter is finally letting her emotions free, unburdened by her partner’s lack of affection.

“Don’t smile becausе it happened, baby / Cry becausе it’s over / (I want you to miss me, I want you to miss me) / Oh, you’re supposed to think about me / Every time you hold her,” Carpenter sings. 

The final 30 seconds provide listeners with the opportunity to continue their reflection post-listen as the synthy-R&B instrumentation slowly fades out. 

If the entirety of “Short n’ Sweet” was comparable to its conclusion, another pop-bible could-be in the making. Instead the album tries on many genres, production and lyrical styles but never forms a cohesive structure. Although Carpenter’s sixth studio album satisfies a musical sweet tooth, it leaves a craving for an album with a shelf life longer than a few months. 

Indulge in “Short n’ Sweet” on all major streaming platforms.