Critics Weigh in on Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n Sweet’

Sabrina Carpenter dropped her sixth album, “Short n’ Sweet,” on August 23. This release is particularly significant for her, following two breakthrough hit singles: “Espresso,” which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Please Please Please,” her first chart-topper. The new album features these two blockbusters, but how do the other 10 tracks hold up?

So far, “Short n’ Sweet” has a strong MetaCritic score of 78, based on 14 reviews: 12 positive and two mixed, and none negative. Jem Aswad from Variety is especially impressed with the album, calling it “the powerful next step in her evolution as an artist, person, and persona.” Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone says it “seals her arrival as a pop superstar.” Charles Lyons-Burt from Slant writes that “Carpenter and her collaborators, including Jack Antonoff on a third of the songs, deftly integrate an evolving tapestry of sounds, making for a near-seamless pop experience.” Meanwhile, Quinn Moreland from Pitchfork mentions that “Carpenter largely pulls off these stylistic crossovers thanks to a big-ass voice that she wields with ease.”

Other critics also weighed in. Grace Robins-Somerville from Paste is particularly fond of the opening track, “Taste,” but notes that “the litany of breakup songs about a famous guy who left Carpenter to slink back to his also-famous ex lose their luster.” Tanatat Khuttapan from The Line of Best Fit adds, “Despite boasting musical variety, ‘Short n’ Sweet’ gropes safely for brief romances and situationships,” and “inevitably trips into a grievously wobbly and inconsistent territory” with its weaker songs. Still, the majority of reviews highlight an artist who made a significant impact on the pop culture landscape and supported it with a strong album.

This sets Carpenter up for possible Grammy recognition. Her MetaCritic score is comparable to Miley Cyrus‘s “Endless Summer Vacation,” and the two young women share similar circumstances: former child stars releasing the biggest hits of their careers and following them with respected albums. Cyrus’s “Flowers” won Record of the Year, and “Endless Summer Vacation” earned a nomination for Album of the Year. Carpenter might find herself in those Grammy races as well. Based on Gold Derby users’ latest predictions, she ranks 11th for Album of the Year, just three slots away from a likely nomination. However, she’s a front-runner for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, ranked second in both categories for “Espresso.” So, watch for her to potentially make a significant impact at the awards.