2024 has been, what feels like, a historic year for the music industry. Most of the world’s biggest pop artists have stepped up and put out amazing projects this year. To name a few releases, there was the highly anticipated “Eternal Sunshine” by Ariana Grande, “Hit Me Hard And Soft” by Billie Eilish and, of course, “The Tortured Poet’s Department” by Taylor Swift. Sabrina Carpenter has been no exception, as she delivered one of my favorite records of the year on Friday, Aug. 23, titled “Short n’ Sweet.” Spanning 12 songs and 36 minutes — including the two summer smash hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” — the record’s infectious energy, memorable melodies and relatable lyrics make for a perfect addition to any summer playlist.
The album opener, “Taste,” is a punchy burst of vibrant pop energy that sets the tone for the rest of the record, encapsulating themes of love and romance through a more “situationship” perspective. The song does a great job at establishing an atmosphere of fun that persists throughout the album, accompanied by an entertaining music video featuring Jenna Ortega that has already amassed 45 million views on YouTube. Personally, “Taste” is one of the tracks I have on repeat this week, and I have shown almost all of my friends the music video, each time trying to catch more of the little references and easter eggs Carpenter intended for her fans to find.
Listening along, I was surprised to find a few songs on the folky side, but by no means did they disappoint. “Sharpest Tool,” “Coincidence” and “Slim Pickins” all exude a sort of country twang that I was definitely not expecting of Carpenter based on my knowledge (or lack thereof) of her previous work. However, this trio of songs, while not any of my number-one favorites on the album, was a great move by Carpenter and ended up fitting in somehow perfectly with the more upbeat tracks featured on the album.
Speaking of, some of my top songs of this year are Carpenter’s, for lack of a better term, pop bangers. “Good Graces,” “Bed Chem” and “Juno” are all so sonically infectious to listen to, and their lyrics — while slightly out of pocket — are so fun and whimsical it’s hard to hate. In fact, a lot of what makes this album so great to me is the fact that she doesn’t take it too seriously. Her passion for making art shines through in every aspect of the project from the production, the vocals and even the marketing. However, I loved how banter-esque the lyrics are and how many golden one-liners she threw in various tracks for the sake of being goofy.
For the three songs left, “Dumb & Poetic,” “Don’t Smile” and “Lie To Girls,” Carpenter slows it down a bit and incorporates a relaxed vibe to the concoction that is “Short n’ Sweet.” My personal favorite on the album, “Lie To Girls,” is so reminiscent of many amazing female pop artists that it makes the powerful build-up even better; I find more to enjoy with every listen.
Beyond the music, the videos accompanying the singles on the record did not come to play. The “Espresso” music video charms watchers with a summer dreamscape full of sunburns, boat rides and ’80s swimsuits. It exquisitely matches the vibe of the song while effectively teasing a snippet of the next single (what we now know as “Please Please Please”) in the ending scenes. Two months later, Carpenter dropped again with the video for the next teased single, and it seemingly broke the internet — at least the side of the internet that I’m on. What was so special about the “Please Please Please” video was it featured Carpenter’s current boyfriend, Barry Keoghan, as the male lead. In the hard launch of the century, Carpenter and Keoghan make a wonderful on and off-screen pairing that I think fueled a lot of the commotion for this album. Lastly, the video for “Taste” was a great game for film buffs wanting to be involved in mainstream pop culture. Featuring allusions to media across the board like “Death Becomes Her” or “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” the dark comedy video fell perfectly into harmony with the vibe of the whole record.
Whether it be a lyric you relate to, a tune you can’t quite get out of your head or the image of Keoghan behind bars, “Short n’ Sweet” truly shot Carpenter into a new realm of the industry this year, and I can only sit and anxiously await where it takes her next.
