ONLY two short years ago, mainstream audiences had not known Sabrina Carpenter by heart. Despite having been in the public eye since 2011, the majority of pop listeners were unfamiliar with her music.
It was only until the release of Emails I Can’t Send that Carpenter ascended into pop consciousness, which propelled other tracks such as Nonsense and Feather. And now, after two years, the singer has done it again with her latest offering Short n’ Sweet.
The record, according to Carpenter, feels like a sophomore album. Though it is technically her sixth, the 25-year-old justified this as it is only her second time being in the front seat creatively.
“It is my second ‘big girl’ album: it is a companion but it is not the same. When it comes to having full creative control and being a full-fledged adult, I would consider this a sophomore album,” said the singer when discussing her latest long player.
Not PG friendly
Seeing that Carpenter gained popularity for her cheekiness, it made sense that the songstress wanted Short n’ Sweet to reflect that. She very much leans to her playful nature for almost half of the album, evident in tracks such as Bed Chem, Juno and Slim Pickins.
While it may not be appropriate for younger audiences, it makes the record fun and entertaining to listen to. So much so that many would excuse its suggestive lyrics and jam to it, especially considering how some of them are packaged sonically.
Other standout tracks include Espresso and Good Graces.
Pop is her calling
In addition to exploring sensuality in her music, the Nonsense hitmaker also does not shy away from experimenting with various genres. Throughout the album, Carpenter embraces the sounds of pop while adopting hints of country, rock and folk.
Her efforts to do so certainly is admirable yet it seems to not have worked in her favour. The singer shines more when she delves into pop as compared with her pursuits in the other genres.
Her country tunes, for instance, feel inauthentic. Whereas, her pop melodies highlight her strengths as a musician such as her voice and persona.
Unfulfilled potential
As such, it felt a bit wasteful that Carpenter did not fully capitalise on her pop sensibilities. The record could have been more addictive and substantial if Carpenter were to put her mind and substantial pop talent to it.
Regardless, Short n’ Sweet is the right direction for Carpenter. She has certainly done herself a favour by curating this record to reflect her growing maturity as an artiste. Pop domination awaits.
