Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh album on Aug. 29. The album has a retro feel with great lyrics, instrumentals and vocals while not taking itself too seriously. Below is my ranking of the twelve tracks:
12. Never Getting Laid
This song wasn’t actually bad, but it didn’t really stand out to me. The song had an interesting instrumental introduction and the chorus was good. My favorite part of the song was the line “I hope you get agoraphobia some day” because it made me laugh. The general feel of the song just felt basic and not as well thought out as the rest of the songs in the album.
11. When Did You Get Hot?
Similar to “Never Getting Laid,” I thought this song was not a standout of the album. I wasn’t really a fan of the lyrics and it felt repetitive. I did enjoy the sound track and beat, but it felt more like a song that you would hear while shopping at Ross instead of something teenagers would listen to casually.
10. Go Go Juice
“Go Go Juice” had an oddly country feel, which didn’t really fit the vibe of the rest of the album. I can appreciate the individual elements of this song, especially the bridge, but I don’t enjoy country music so this song was one of my least favorites.
9. We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night
From here, ranking the songs was extremely difficult for me. “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” has beautiful vocals, especially at the chorus and when Carpenter sings the title line. I also like the flow of the song’s back track. However, it feels generic, which is the main reason why it ranks so low.
8. Sugar Talking
I really liked the lyrics and beat of “Sugar Talking,” and I think it worked well as an individual song. However, it felt very bland compared to other tracks, with minimal mixing and a disappointing instrumental. My favorite lyric was “The first to open up your wallet; But the last one to flag that a heart only breaks so many times.”
7. Don’t Worry, I’ll Make You Worry
The saucy lyrics were my favorite part of this song. They made me chuckle a lot, especially the ending line, where Carpenter aims to make the male in question “A shell of a man.” I also liked the use of the tambourine in the instrumental, it was really satisfying to listen to.
6. Manchild
This track is addictive as well as lyrically, vocally and instrumentally interesting. However, since this song was the leading single for the track, it’s become overplayed for me. My favorite part of the track is just how fun it is to listen to, with a lot of lines that make me laugh and a more upbeat nature overall.
5. Goodbye
I absolutely love this song’s instrumental and chorus. I think that it’s really catchy and a perfect way to end the album. It reminds me of an ABBA song. My favorite part of the song is the piano run the last time Carpenter sings the chorus.
4. House Tour
“House Tour” has a strong retro vibe that sets it apart from the rest of the songs on the album. I love the backing track and Carpenter’s cheeky lyrics. Carpenter ironically sings “I promise none of this is a metaphor,” when the whole song so obviously is. The beat also has a significantly more retro feel, which contributes to distinguishing it from other songs in the album. While the others feel like a blending of current and past music, House Tour feels like I accidentally walked into a jazzercise workout video.
3. Tears
When I first heard this song, I’ll admit that the risqué lyrics took me aback. However, after listening to it a few more times, I came to enjoy and appreciate them, with a great example being “a little respect for women will take you a long long way.” Funny lyrics combined with a really catchy instrumental and Carpenter’s vocals make this a top three track in the album.
2. My Man on Willpower
This song is about a woman in denial when her boyfriend loses interest in her. I liked how the song was upbeat when the topic isn’t necessarily the most happy one. Carpenter also puts on a more innocent persona in this track than in the rest of the album, which was interesting to me because it was a strong contrast with the other, more suggestive songs like “Tears.” The beat and lyrics are infectiously catchy and fun, made even better with Carpenter’s striking vocals. One of my favorite lines is “My man’s in touch with his emotions; My man won’t touch me with a twenty-foot pole.”
1. Nobody’s Son
This song was a 100/10 for me. The main thing that elevates “Nobody’s Son” above the rest of the tracks for me is the chorus. It’s just so catchy, with an amazing beat and vocals. Normally, I would think that a song about how Carpenter doesn’t believe in men anymore would be depressing, but she completely subverted my expectations and blew me away with her energetic performance.