With her catchy hit singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” topping charts recently, Sabrina Carpenter seemed to be solidifying herself as a leading pop icon this summer. However, Short n’ Sweet, the album predicted to earn her a more permanent pop standing, failed to deliver the boldness fans hoped for.
The singer’s sixth studio album, released Friday, displayed weak songwriting flair and shallow lyrical narratives. Carpenter’s preceding hits set the bar a bit too high for most of the other tracks to compete. Short n’ Sweet, though containing typical feel-good songs that will likely accompany a few future TikTok trends, lacks the freshness and originality that resulted in her latest singles blowing up.
Carpenter didn’t shy away from musical experimentation completely — she dipped her toes in some new and interesting sounds like country and 80s synth pop. Two songs that spiced up the album include the soft country track about our generation’s pitiful dating scene, “Slim Pickins,”and “Don’t Smile,” which wrapped up the album in a beautiful lo-fi goodbye.
Some songs allowed for more vocal variety, like “Dumb & Poetic” and “Juno,” but an over-polished sound production muffled other opportunities for Carpenter’s vocals to truly shine. Additionally, Carpenter’s lyrics, while playfully blunt, witty and thoughtful at times, could come across as lazy. Full of boys and breakups, the album lacked depth and a strong narrative. For the most part, it remains disappointingly on-brand with her past uninventive pop music.
Despite some recent rebranding — including seductive stage numbers while opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, glamorous hair-bleach and vintage-inspired music videos — Carpenter can’t seem to run too far from the Disney Channel actress-turned-popstar formula. Short n’ Sweet feels like a plateau instead of a peak in Carpenter’s career.
The feeling that Carpenter tries to escape the need for a unique musical flair can’t be shaken off — several songs resurface memories of disassociating in a department store. She seemingly pulls inspiration from the trademark styles of her pop counterparts, with Ariana-like vocal riffs, Swift-like verses and even a melody in her song “Dumb & Poetic” that eerily resembles Chappell Roan’s “Coffee.” Talented and undeniably suited for stardom, Carpenter simply lacks a strong signature songwriting style. It seems Carpenter, rather than bringing something new to the table, takes from it.
Working late didn’t seem to fully pay off, because Short n’ Sweet failed to elevate Carpenter to top tier pop star status beyond a few catchy hits. Instead of the bold flavor of “Espresso,” listeners got a traditional vanilla latte — which does the job but hardly qualifies as a mind-blowing experience.
3½ shots of espresso out of 5
