Sabrina Carpenter released her sixth studio album “Short N’ Sweet” on Aug. 23. The album is very lighthearted and unserious, being both enjoyable while also being unhinged, as is Carpenter’s writing style. Here’s my ranking of the 12-track album.
12. Juno
“Juno” is a more upbeat song about Roman mythology. Juno is the wife of Jupiter, and she says that “Jupiter” could put a ring on it. While it is a more upbeat song, the lyrics and premise aren’t very interesting to me. The song is very fun but not as well written as the other lighthearted songs on the album.
11. Don’t Smile
“Don’t Smile” has a slower and more poetic flow. It’s one of those songs that initially doesn’t sound the best and takes time to get used to, but once you listen to it multiple times you appreciate it more. I’m not a fan of the echoey sound that overshadows the song’s strong lyrics. The line “Don’t smile because it happened baby, cry because it’s over,” is an interesting twist on the common phrase and a highlight of the songwriting.
10. Dumb and Poetic
Carpenter slows things down with “Dumb and Poetic” which is about a strange relationship. My favorite part of this song is the bridge, specifically, “You’re so empathetic you’d make a great wife.” This song has grown on me, though I still dislike the flow.
9. Espresso
“Espresso” is an amazing song to play in the car with other people to set the vibe. I love the beat and the simplicity of the lyrics is the reason “Espresso” is so popular today, but I like more complex songs, meaning it’s easy to get overplayed.
8. Good Graces
“Good Graces” has a catchy chorus and a really fun beat. The only thing about the song that I wasn’t the biggest fan of was the beginning of the song. I didn’t like the repetitive phrasing which is the reason that I can’t play this song more than once.
7. Please Please Please
“Please Please Please” had a choke hold on me, so much so that I made my mother listen to this every single day for weeks after the release. The song is lighthearted and has a relatable topic: don’t embarrass me in front of everyone. While fantastic, this still doesn’t make the top of the list for me.
6. Taste
While already a good song, “Taste” was made distinctly better by the most unhinged and entertaining music video I have ever seen. Starring Carpenter and Jenna Ortega, they spend the video attacking each other in creative and incredibly entertaining ways. For the first few days I would watch the video on repeat, causing the song to be practically implanted in my brain.
5. Coincidence
This goes back to more of the upbeat type of song that Carpenter is known for. Lyrically, the best part about this song is the line: “What a surprise, your phone just died. Your car drove itself from L.A. to her thighs.” On my first listen, this lyric was super unexpected and I find myself listening to this part on repeat.
4. Sharpest tool
“Sharpest Tool” starts slower and speeds up as the song progresses, culminating in an incredibly catchy tune. Thematically, Carpenter wonders about the nature of one of her past relationships and how it went downhill. Singing with more simple lyrics because she is calling her ex dumb, or in her words “not the sharpest tool in the shed.” Marked by a more mature lyrical makeup, this song is one of the more serious in the album. The slow ramp-up in speed allows the listener to ingest the song without being caught up in too many changes.
3. Bad Chem
“Bad Chem” hit me out of nowhere. She sings about meeting someone at a party and how they fit together. This is my favorite love song on the album. “Bad Chem” flows incredibly well and has a catchy tune that I find myself singing throughout the day.
2. Slim Pickins
This song gave me a southern country vibe due to the starkly different style of instrumentals and distinctly country songwriting style. This song also highlighted how her music can be screamed, not just sung, along to. The line, “And since the Lord forgot my gay awakening,” makes me laugh every single time. It’s just such a fun song to listen to.
1. Lie To Girls
This is the best song on the album. I think the syncopation of this song and the line where she says “We love to read the cold hard facts and swear they’re incorrect. We love to mistake butterflies for cardiac arrest,” is so relatable. The vocals of this song also showcase Carpenter’s range, with impressively high-pitched parts of the song.
