Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” album had not even been in the limelight one year before she announced her next album, “Man’s Best Friend,” on June 11. After achieving stardom with her song, “Espresso,” Carpenter was inspired by a new idea that she wanted to create immediately.
“If I’m inspired to write and make something new, I would rather do that. Why would I wait three years just for the sake of waiting three years? It’s all about what feels right,” Carpenter said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Carpenter teamed up with songwriter Amy Allen and producers Jack Antonoff and John Ryan to create “Man’s Best Friend,” which was released on Aug. 29, along with a music video for the album’s second single, “Tears.”
Although Carpenter’s previous work solidified her as a pop icon, several choices made with the release of “Man’s Best Friend” created controversy.
The release of the first single of the album, “Manchild,” highlighted Carpenter’s signature sound, repeating elements already prevalent in her previous work. Comparisons can even be made to Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe!” as both songs have a similar synth featured at the beginning. Yet, these choices make some of Carpenter’s newer music sound repetitive and unoriginal.
Further controversy ensued when Carpenter announced the album cover, portraying her on all fours with her hair being grabbed by a man. People in the past had already scorned Carpenter for being too sexual and not “family-friendly,” but this cover seems to have crossed the line.
Yet, fans spoke out telling people to wait until the album was released, asserting that Carpenter’s cover was satire and that the album would be a commentary on the dynamic between men and women.
However, “Man’s Best Friend” was not the subversive masterpiece fans initially defended the album to be. Instead it was a repeat of “Short n’ Sweet,” with songs discussing Carpenter’s romances and breakups with men. Carpenter also doubles-down on the elements she used in her previous album, with “Man’s Best Friend” using blatant sexual innuendos and clever gimmicks in nearly every song. The album cover seems to exist for shock value alone, intended to get people talking.
No matter the side taken on the issue of the album cover, Carpenter’s music is her own work and she gets to choose how she presents it. If she chooses to exert her creative control with an explicit album cover, that is her choice. Many artists have done covers like this in the past and have not received nearly as much criticism. It is unfortunate though, that there does not seem to be a deeper meaning for the photo choice, other than it being “on-brand” for Carpenter.
It is also clear that Carpenter was very influenced by past artists on the album. Carpenter regularly did covers of ABBA songs on her “Short n’ Sweet” tour and even did a collaboration with Dolly Parton. Now, these inspirations are evident in the songs on “Man’s Best Friend,” with country elements appearing in songs such as “Go Go Juice” and her ABBA-inspired song “Goodbye.”
While the songs themselves do not explore anything new for Carpenter herself, that does not mean the album is not fun to listen to. Every song, even the slow ones, has a catchy beat despite the depressing lyrics and situations described in most of them. It is easy to get them stuck in your head and have a fun time while listening to them.
Songs like “Nobody’s Son” discuss Carpenter and a man’s breakup and how she feels she cannot find anyone to love her, all wrapped in an energetic, upbeat instrumental. Carpenter speaks to the mothers of sons when she sings in the bridge, “And, yes, I’m talkin’ ‘bout your baby.”
“House Tour” is one of the best songs on the album, and the most distinct sound-wise. The entire song discusses Carpenter wanting to take someone home after a first date, where she promises “none of this is a metaphor,” even though the entire song is one giant innuendo. Yet, its 80s inspired sound makes it memorable compared to the rest.
It was clear that “Short n’ Sweet” would be hard to follow up, considering how successful it was for Carpenter. It was unrealistic to assume that she would be able to create another “Espresso” for the second time in a row, but “Man’s Best Friend” does not even feel as though it stands on its own. The album is underwhelming at points, seeming to serve as a sequel rather than as an independent piece.
“Man’s Best Friend” has a few standout songs that are sure to be fan favorites. Yet, Carpenter should have taken more time to release an album that feels like it has a strong identity.
After the release of “Man’s Best Friend” Carpenter has repeatedly changed the endings of her “Tears” music video, which has kept people listening to the song. This, along with the album cover controversy, seems to be keeping the album in the public eye. However, it feels like the masses will move on to the next big thing as time goes on. Despite the praise from fans, it is hard to say whether “Man’s Best Friend” will last as a significant album in the long run.
