Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, “Man’s Best Friend,” on Aug. 29. The highly anticipated album reached number one on the charts on both iTunes and Spotify in the U.S.
The 38-minute body of work sounds like a brand-new version of Carpenter as she takes on a more explicit approach while still exploring themes of disappointment and heartbreak — a stark difference to the romantic aesthetic of “Short n’ Sweet.”
While the overarching emotions of the albums are opposites, they still share the signature Carpenter sound. Sonically, “Man’s Best Friend” is composed very nicely. Songs like “My Man on Willpower” and “Never Getting Laid” are stacked with layered vocals that demonstrate Carpenter’s vocal abilities.
The singer also incorporated several elements from different genres, such as 70s funk and some southern twang. A plethora of fun instruments, including synths, guitars, drums and trumpets is featured in songs like “Goodbye” and the lead single “Manchild.”
Track 11, “House Tour,” seems to be the most viral on platforms like TikTok, where users are posting small house or room tours to the song. Other songs like “Tears” are also going viral as people react to the racy video released alongside the album.
The “Tears” music video features a brief horror storyline with a small section dedicated to a dance break, where Carpenter dances on a pole in the middle of a cornfield. Needless to say, the album and its accompanying material are made for an adult audience and not suitable for children.
With that, it is worth noting that there are mixed reviews from the public. While some people love Carpenter’s new songs and are excited for the new era, others have shared videos criticizing the album, its subject matter and the accompanying material.
Carpenter has been continuously receiving backlash, starting when she initially teased the album cover, which portrays Carpenter on all fours with a man holding her hair like a dog leash. Many thought that it was degrading to women, while loyal fans defended the photo, claiming it was satire.
The sentiment against Carpenter persists as many dismiss her new work as another “simple album” and claim that the cover art did not match the actual concept of the album.
One TikTok user, Nayawritesss, read a comment from a user that said “Sabrina’s lyricism has not and is not ever going to be deep enough to discuss and convey the issues she’s singing about because this album screams ‘I know men are dumb and treat me like a dog but I don’t care. I’ll allow it because I love men and I love getting off.’”
Carpenter recently had an interview with Gayle King, in which she addressed the controversy. She began by saying, “y’all need to get out more,” and then shared her perspective on the album cover. Her interpretation is about being in control, lacking control and having a choice to make a mistake.
She then went on to say that she received nothing but support from family and friends when she previewed the music to them. She said that everyone thought it was perfect for the album and what it represents.
In “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” she opens the song with “been here a thousand times, selective memory though.” At one point, it’s obvious that Carpenter knows that she is in a borderline toxic relationship but continues to stay anyway. Going back to the second track, “Tears,” while explicit, the song is about how she is attracted to men who know how to treat her well.
She is an incredible artist with a great voice and a great ear for music, as she slowly revives the 70s funk aesthetic.
The album would have been so much more powerful had she focused on the message instead of over-sexualizing herself. Some argue that this is her “shtick,” while some might say she needs to find a new one as it lacks originality.
