Disco pop sounds, a dash of country, dazzling sparkles and thinly veiled innuendos. In current pop music, Sabrina Carpenter comes right to mind. Her vibrant persona is on full display in her latest album “Man’s Best Friend,” which came out on Aug. 29, 2025. After releasing the first single “Manchild” and then revealing the rather risque album cover on social media earlier this summer, this album has definitely gained traction on the internet.
Some of the biggest complaints I had heard after the release of this album were its comparisons to Carpenter’s last album “Short ‘n Sweet,” which launched her into a new level of stardom last year. I have to agree with some of these critiques. My biggest gripe was that some of my favorite aspects of her earlier work seemed to have been left behind, while the m
ore popularized parts were explored deeper. This makes sense commercially, however, as it left the album feeling slightly lacking for me. The deeper, more emotional songs such as “Lie to Girls,” “Slim Pickins” and “Sharpest Tool”- which were my favorites from “Short n’ Sweet”- seemed to be left in the dust, while the hits like “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” seemed to be where Carpenter pulled most inspiration from for this new album.
One key aspect of Carpenter’s latest work is her use of vulgarity and innuendo, which certainly pulled through in “Man’s Best Friend.” Personally, I think Carpenter’s use of sarcastic quips and witty metaphors can be rather tasteful and a unique commentary on modern society. However, some new songs such as “Tears” and “House Tour” were a little much for me. I think what Carpenter does best is toeing the line of what is tasteful and what is tacky, and she may have begun to cross it on these two tracks.
On the other hand, this album did have some songs that went straight onto my personal playlists. My favorite of the album, “When Did You Get Hot?” has been on repeat for the past few weeks along with close contenders “Nobody’s Son” and “Go Go Juice.” They combine Carpenter’s witty and confident lyrics with addictive sounds and lyrics with a bit more substance.
Overall, I think this album did what it promised. It is definitely representative of Carpenter’s work and what has made her so successful as of late. In my opinion, the album has clear highs and lows, lacking a bit of substance that shone more in her previous work. However, can we really blame her for doing more of what has made her more successful? Probably not. I will be interested to see where she goes next in her career and will continue to listen to her music, including a few songs from “Man’s Best Friend”.
