A little over a year after the release of her last album, “Short and Sweet,” pop star Sabrina Carpenter has released her newest album, “Man’s Best Friend,” to declare that she is anything but.
The album, produced alongside Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff and John Ryan, was released on Aug. 29. It features 12 tracks, starting with “Manchild,” which was originally released as a single on June 5.
“Manchild,” a country-influenced pop song commenting on Carpenter’s aversion to emotionally unintelligent men, quickly rose to internet stardom across social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok, where the singer started a trending line dance to the song.
Carpenter’s discography has long been filled with rhetoric poking fun at members of the male sex, and many of her songs embrace sexual innuendos that probably go over the heads of her younger listeners.
The title of “Man’s Best Friend” is a humorously ironic representation of the album’s tone, which centers around Carpenter’s negative experiences in her relationships with men and her disdain towards them.
While many of the lyrics reflect on past relationship struggles, annoyances and anecdotes, the album doesn’t convey heartbreak in the slightest, but rather, is an ode to moving up and onwards and dancing through the rain. Sabrina Carpenter isn’t afraid of being single and independent and she wants the world to know it.
Here’s a glimpse at the 12 tracks of the album in order:
While “Manchild” contains country influences, the rest of the album frequently jumps between genres, sounds and aesthetics.
“Tears,” a disco-pop track, sounds a lot like “Dance The Night” from the “Barbie” movie with its groovy instrumentals, bass line, rhythmic clapping and dance break-esque bridge.
“My Man on Willpower” starts off with a drum intro reminiscent of the 80s new wave with impressive vocals, guitar riffs and background strings, while “Sugar Talking” utilizes a catchy bass line, drum pattern, and layered vocals with a distorted guitar solo that bends the strings in all the right places.
“We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” stands out as one of the album’s strongest tracks, containing powerful instrumentals and lyrics that tug on the heartstrings of listeners who may empathize with the song’s message.
The vibe switches up going into “Nobody’s Son,” which features electronically generated beats and bar chimes in a quirky and upbeat track, sure to have listeners swaying along with its catchy rhythm.
The album slows it down for “Never Getting Laid,” with an intro similar to 90s slow R&B, keyboard instrumentals and a melody similar to the previous song. Carpenter humorously wishes “a forever of never getting laid” to an unnamed ex-lover in this playfully bashful song that is the direct opposite of a love letter.
“When Did You Get Hot?” starts with a sultry, sensual beat, a recurring vibe in Carpenter’s music. She even displays her humor by saying “Wait, I need a minute, okay, here it comes,” in a playful speaking voice before hitting the stunning, main vocal riff of the ballad.
“Go Go Juice” is another country-leaning song, one you might hear in a line dancing club filled with cowboy hats and spurred leather boots. The highlight of the song is its upbeat violin solo, sure to have audiences bouncing their knee.
The album slows down again for “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry” and its smooth, drawn-out vocals. But it bounces back for “House Tour,” which hits listeners right in the face, immediately jumping into a much faster disco-inspired track that makes you want to glide around a roller rink in neon attire and skates.
The last track of the album, “Goodbye,” is the perfect closing and epitome of the final word in a breakup. Carpenter declares that “Goodbye means that you’re losing me for life,” a final farewell to all the partners with whom it never worked out.
Featuring violin, brass instruments, piano, tambourine, a dance-worthy bridge and a backing beat reminiscent of 70s ABBA music, Sabrina sings goodbye in a plethora of languages to emphasize the fact that yes — it really is over in every language.

