On Aug. 23, singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter released her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, through Island Records. A mainly pop record with elements of country, rock, and R&B, “Short and Sweet” refers to the emotional impact of Carpenter’s shortest romantic relationships, her physical appearance, and the album’s brief runtime.
Consisting of 12 “Short n’ Sweet” tracks, three singles preceded the record, “Espresso,” “Please, Please, Please,” and most recently, “Taste,” which was released the same day as the album.
Carpenter provided additional support for Short n’ Sweet with an upcoming tour and through performances at the music festivals Coachella in Indio, CA, and the Governor’s Ball in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, NY. Earlier this month, the recording artist debuted a smoothie named after the album at the organic-based grocery store Erewhon in Los Angeles. Highlights from Short n Sweet include “Taste,” “Please, Please, Please,” “Espresso,” “Dumb and Poetic,” and “Don’t Smile.”
A Short n’ Sweet Favorite
The biggest hit from Short n’ Sweet has got to be “Espresso,” and it’s no surprise Carpenter chose it as her lead single from the album. A fun, and upbeat track about ‘the power of feminity and self-confidence,” to paraphrase Carpenter, “Espresso” is a hard song not to enjoy, with catchy lyrics that are bound to get stuck in fans’ heads. We may never know what “that me espresso” means, but Carpenter’s lead single, and now one of her signature songs, is pretty sweet, I guess so.
The latest single and first track on Short n’ Sweet, “Taste” is a pop song with elements of slacker rock. “Taste”, like many of Carpenter’s songs, explores the complexities of romantic relationships, subtly echoing the music of Taylor Swift and the themes of her songs. The track seems to describe an ex of hers getting back together with one of his girlfriends and implies that Carpenter was involved with the man shortly before, singing “You’ll taste me too.”
Rather than mourning the relationship, Carpenter emphasizes the impact she left on her ex, which will stick with him in his future relationships. “Taste” was accompanied by a music video featuring Wednesday and former Scream actress Jenna Ortega.
“Please Please Please” the second single from Short n’ Sweet, is another highlight from the album. Featuring elements of disco-pop, yacht rock, and country-pop, “Please Please Please” details Carpenter’s worries that a boyfriend will ruin her reputation. In the song’s narrative, Carpenter’s boyfriend is a convict she met in prison, who she hopes will change and be better for her, and the disappointment she feels when he doesn’t.
“Dumb and Poetic” is a departure in genre from most of the songs on Short n’ Sweet; it’s a heartfelt ballad accompanied by acoustic guitar, compared to the fun and upbeat sound in most of the album’s tracks. It is about discovering the true character of a person behind the mask they present to the world; nobody is what they seem (“Just cause you talk like one, doesn’t make you a man.) This is arguably Carpenter’s best song vocally on Short n’ Sweet, as it lacks the elaborate instrumentation of other tracks, allowing her melancholic and tender vocals to take center stage, revealing her vulnerability and hurt.
Another highlight from Short n’ Sweet is the closing track, “Don’t Smile.” The ending song of the album fittingly describes the end of a relationship, and Carpenter’s feelings surrounding the break-up. In the song, Carpenter flips the script on the phrase “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” emploring her ex to feel the pain of the breakup, as she is “Don’t smile because it happened, cry because it’s over.”
A Short n’ Sweet Honorable Mention…
Finally, one last Short n’ Sweet song we should mention is “Slim Pickens.” The song, a country ballad, is a departure in genre from not just this album but Carpenter’s music as a whole. “Slim Pickens” refers to the scarcity of suitable bachelors Carpenter is experiencing in her search for love. The song encapsulates the experience that many face of searching for the right partner in a sea of wrong ones. “Slim Pickens” isn’t one of the strongest songs on Short n’ Sweet, but it’s still a respectable effort by Carpenter to grow as a recording artist.
Final Thoughts on Short n’ Sweet
Overall, Short n’ Sweet is a fun and enjoyable album with many hits to add to your playlist. Some of the tracks slightly mirror the material of other pop singers like Taylor Swift with their focus on love and relationships, but Carpenter has still proven she’s her own person when it comes to making music, with tracks like “Espresso” which has become one of her signature songs. Short n Sweet is available to download on several music streaming platforms.
