Sabrina Carpenter embodies a quintessential pop star. Not only is she drop-dead gorgeous and eternally smiley, she’s also masterful at releasing hit after hit. What more could you ask for? On August 23, the 5’0” singer dropped a full-length album appropriately titled “Short n’ Sweet.” I can sum up the album’s overall vibe in three words: sultry, sunkissed and dreamy. This is undoubtedly Carpenter’s signature sound: flirtatious lyrics and catchy melodies. Each song feels like a distinct moment in time over the course of a summer night — from the first hint of sunset to the break of dawn. So let’s unpack what was extra “sweet” and what went a little bit “sour” in every track.

My Top Pick: Juno (2:00 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: Picture a dark blue, constellation-laden sky on a warm night. Juno — named after the Roman goddess of heaven — has flirtatious lyrics masked by a gorgeous instrumental. What I can best define as a guitar synth strumming in the intro gives it an element of dreaminess, like twinkling stars. The instrumental break between the bridge and last chorus is led by an electric guitar, giving it extra depth and warmth. The song feels like a hug in song form and is scarily representative of Carpenter’s sentimental and heartfelt emotions she conveys through her elevated yet catchy beats. I can’t put my finger on it, but something about this song makes me swoon like a lovesick puppy.

Sour: The lyrics are clearly very explicit, which is great for some but not so great if you have sensitive ears like I do.

2nd Place: Taste (11:00 p.m. vibes)

Sweet: Its 4/4 time signature, involving a simple 1-2-3-4 beat, is easy to count, follow and dance to; this song is perfect for a wide range of dance moves. This specific time signature is common in pop songs, and in Taste especially, the song’s rhythmic pulses feel slow and seductive yet still upbeat. The sway in her voice, accentuated by the song, is groovy. All of the instrumental elements are grounded by a strong drum beat that begins in the chorus and are elevated by the bass line’s variations of the chord progression. It tinges ever-so-slightly into the waters of pop rock, a genre I’m addicted to, and her witty lyricism is the icing on the cake.

Sour: The only thing I dislike is how soon this song ends. Two minutes and 37 seconds isn’t enough! 

Please Please Please (7:00 p.m. vibes) 

Sweet: Her light and airy vocal tone, with its sultry undertones, pairs so well with the retro grooviness of the song; “Please Please Please” feels quite minimalist and clean to me while still retaining a ton of classic Sabrina elements.

Sour: It’s pop, and though pop by nature is repetitive, she says the word “please” 31 times in a 3 minute song (yes, I counted.) That’s basically a “please” every ten seconds. Make of that what you will.

Good Graces (10:00 p.m. vibes)

Sweet: The beat is super catchy. The synthy pulses in the background are wonderful and her deeper vocal pitch is also a blessing to the ears. Her “I won’t give a f** about you” lines may seem redundant to some, but not me — they wonderfully break up the flow of her usually incisive lyrics.

Sour: The opening beats and high note ad-libs of the song honestly sound straight from an Ariana Grande track. I can see Ariana singing this in another universe, and for that reason I feel like the melody is not quite so authentic to Sabrina’s sound.

Sharpest Tool (1:30 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: Sharpest Tool starts harmoniously, and there’s a contrast between the way she stretches the lyrics slowly and the fast 3-beat of guitar chords getting plucked. Overall, it’s very pleasant on the ears. During the bridge, the volume of her voice fades in and out, like you’re fading in and out of dreams.

Sour: I’m grasping for straws when looking for something to criticize. All I can pick at is the title: the phrase “Sharpest Tool” only appears once in the lyrics and could be more aptly named, in my opinion.

Coincidence (9:00 p.m. vibes)

Sweet: Never thought I’d see the day when Sabrina dipped her toes into country-pop, but it’s soulful and representative of nights around the campfire. Coincidence is easy on the ears and the acoustic guitar is lovely.

Sour: “Coincidence” doesn’t seem to fit super cohesively with the rest of the album. It carries a very different sound from most other songs.

Bed Chem (3:00 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: How can a song feel both warm and hazy and cool and refreshing at the same time? This song really shows off her upper vocal register and the lightness of her voice is sweet. I love how this song is so sophisticated yet simplistic.

Sour: Again, explicit lyrics. People might view them as crass and I find them just a tad distracting from the overall cleverness and nuance that characterize the album’s other songs.

Espresso (12:00 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: “I’m working late ‘cause I’m a singer.” What more needs to be said? This song is more addictive than real espresso and her clout skyrocketed with this one for good reason.

Sour: The ad-libs, especially in the last chorus, seem a bit extra to me. Maybe I’m being nitpicky, but the simplicity of the rest of the song doesn’t require those impressive harmonies for it to still shine.

Dumb and Poetic (4:30 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: It’s not easy to make such melancholy lyrics both blunt and easy to understand yet still refreshing and original. Also, the sorrowful lilt of her voice in this track hits you right where it hurts.

Sour: I can’t find anything wrong with the song itself but rather its chronological placement. Its position right after the up-tempo “Espresso” makes its arrival a bit jarring; the tonal mood suddenly shifts for the rest of the album.

Slim Pickins (5:00 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: If “Coincidence” was country-adjacent, this fully embodies country. It reflects all of those early morning reflective thoughts. Her Pennsylvania drawl comes out for this one and it’s beautiful.

Sour: Though I like her very light vocal tone to this song, I think it could honestly benefit from a bit more brightness and depth.

Lie To Girls (9:00 p.m. vibes)

Sweet: It’s straight from the heart and hits straight in the heart. To me, it feels like the beginning of the twilight hours when the sun has set and quiet moments are spent by the fireplace. It is a ballad done well — slow, sweet and soft.

Sour: The only unfortunate thing about this song is the fact that it was placed in “Short n’ Sweet.” Though it is by no means a bad song, it is outshone by the other more upbeat and memorable songs of this album.

Don’t Smile (12:00 a.m. vibes)

Sweet: This song, compared to Espresso, is a different kind of midnight. It’s quiet nights reading in bed with a warm light illuminating the room. It’s suave and silky-sounding, and her soft voice is like honey. 

Sour: Again, this song tends to be repetitive, but it does feel like a calming lullaby in that sense. So I’m a bit torn.

Final words:

Is this peak Sabrina? Yes. There’s not a single song I dislike in this album and I’m amazed by how sonically different each track is. This album is enchanting in all aspects.