Sabrina Carpenter issued a clear warning: “This album isn’t for the faint-hearted,” she told Gayle King prior to the release of her eagerly anticipated album, Man’s Best Friend. And she meant it. This album marks Sabrina’s most provocative and humor-filled work yet—indeed, it could be her best to date. Throughout Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina presents an array of witty remarks centered on themes of love, intimacy, and breakups. Right from the outset, she intended to push boundaries, evidenced by the eye-catching album title and its contentious cover art, which shows her in a black dress on all fours, reaching towards a figure in a power suit who is gripping her hair. The tracks match this audacity—it’s a playful, risqué concept album reminiscent of the unmade works of ABBA.
The album also cleverly dives into breakup themes, especially following her well-publicized separation from Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan. This collection serves as a significant artistic statement from a genuine innovator—few artists blend sensuality and humor as effectively as Sabrina. Here are five key takeaways from Man’s Best Friend.
Speedy Releases
Sabrina is known for her swift work ethic—Man’s Best Friend comes nearly a year after her breakthrough release, Short n’ Sweet, from August 2024, which skyrocketed her into the limelight. Rather than delay her follow-up, she embarked on a new era in June with “Manchild,” which became her second Number One hit after “Please Please Please.” The new album features twelve tracks packed into 38 minutes, all penned by Carpenter with contributions from just three collaborators: Jack Antonoff, Amy Allen, and John Ryan. Each collaborator showcases their prowess, ensuring a seamless listening experience. Antonoff excels in his production role, infusing the music with intricate layers and a distinctively ABBA-esque Eurodisco vibe.
Exploring Desire
Unsurprisingly, Sabrina’s lyrics are heavily focused on sexual exploration, showcasing an endless supply of risqué imagery. The synth-pop gem “House Tour” stands out for its humor and explicitness. After a dinner with a dull date who has an impressive car, she invites him to her place on “Pretty Girl Avenue,” with lines like, “I’m pleasured to be your hot tour guide.” It becomes clear that her invitation is metaphorical: “Do you want the house tour?” she teases, while discussing how she’s reimagined home tours to suit a more intimate purpose.
Seeking Respect
Sabrina does not shy away from calling out lovers who fail to meet her emotional needs. In her standout single “Tears,” she conveys her desire for genuine connection, delivering clever lines such as, “I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy.” This juxtaposition highlights how much allure she finds in a partner’s emotional attentiveness. Meanwhile, in “My Man on Willpower,” she expresses her exasperation at a partner’s lack of affection, lamenting, “My man won’t touch me with a twenty-foot pole.”
Breakup Anthems
Sabrina channels her inner rage post-breakup, crafting tracks that unapologetically strike at ex-lovers. Following scrutiny from her split with Keoghan, she creatively remade the “Please, Please, Please” video with Dolly Parton, humorously portraying revenge. With cutting lyrics that describe her ex’s fickle nature, she also captures the classic rebound experience in “Go Go Juice,” where she notes, “A girl who knows her liquor is a girl who’s been dumped.” The album isn’t shy about penning a harsh farewell.
Frustrations with Technology
Even amidst romantic challenges, Sabrina expresses frustration with digital distractions in Man’s Best Friend. In the track “Sugar Talking,” she criticizes a partner who prioritizes texting over in-person quality time. “Put your loving where your mouth is,” she demands, emphasizing her need for genuine connection over digital interactions. The song serves as a bold declaration against superficial communication, characteristic of Sabrina’s edgy humor and irresistible charm emblematic of the entire album.
