American singer, actress, and Grammy award-winner Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, Aug. 29. Carpenter’s newest album dives into her failed relationships, romantic expectations, and regrets about how they have ended throughout Man’s Best Friend’s 12 tracks. This album perfectly balances a mix of genres and generations, blending trending pop and nostalgic beats.
Carpenter started her singing career in 2009, when she would record covers of Taylor Swift songs in her childhood home and post them on YouTube. She entered the entertainment industry in 2014 after landing her first major acting role in the hit show Girl Meets World. The same year, she released her first extended play collection of songs, Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying.
Carpenter released her hit album Short n’ Sweet in 2022, marking a turning point in her songwriting career. Known for her sex positivity expressed through her songs, Carpenter’s pose on the Man’s Best Friend album cover seemed very on-theme, although it faced public backlash for its possibly explicit implications.
Thus, the album faced controversy before its release, as many fans saw the cover as Carpenter over-sexualizing herself and catering to the male gaze. Others thought her fans were reading too much into it, comparing her to pop icons like Britney Spears, Madonna, and Addison Rae. Carpenter replied to the controversy in an interview with CBS Mornings, saying that the cover art felt right as it was open to interpretation. “My interpretation is being in on the control. Being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control,” Carpenter said.
Man’s Best Friend’s first track, “Manchild,” a pre-released song released Jun. 5, kicks off with Carpenter’s unmistakable laugh fading into a country-influenced pop beat. This upbeat song mixed with Carpenters‘ high-pitched voice perfectly captures the childlike playfulness of the song, framing each of her previous partners as a “manchild.” “Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless? But there’s a cuter word for it, I know, Manchild,” Carpenter sings about her exes.
The second track, “Tears,” starts with a disco flair as Carpenter explains that the way to her heart is simple gestures, “Baby, just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you want.” This song’s chorus is extremely catchy, and the electric beat makes this song stand out against the others on the album. “Tears” fits into Carpenter’s era of sex-positive songs, dances, and album covers.
“We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” the album’s sixth track, is much slower and doesn’t follow the upbeat theme of the rest of the album. The song is about a toxic relationship constantly on the verge of a break-up: “Then we almost broke up again last night,” Carpenter sings during the song’s chorus. Although the whole album’s style has older influences, it’s especially featured during this song, taking on a more 1960s pop beat. Carpenter’s many talents include her ability to stay in the same genre while maintaining sound diversity.
Despite lacking much meaning, track eight, “When Did You Get Hot?”’s high energy and hypnotizing melody, which slowly fades to a record-scratch stop, make up for it. The smooth flow of the lyrics and unique production make this song a highlight of the album.
The twelfth and final track off Man’s Best Friend, “Goodbye,” continues the rest of the album’s vintage disco and country energy, although there isn’t much that makes it stand out from the rest of the album. This song is the perfect closing note, capturing the final moments of a relationship, or the “goodbye.” “Goodbye means that you’re losing me for life,” Carpenter belts out towards the end of the song.
Man’s Best Friend follows the common theme Carpenter tends to address in her music: relationships, while playing with a variety of sounds throughout the album. Although the album lacks new meanings, Carpenter’s genre experimentation was refreshing, earning Man’s Best Friend 4.5 out of five feathers.
