Sabrina Carpenter’s seventh album, “Man’s Best Friend,” is a playful, 12-track, 38-minute mix of breakup anthems, biting humor, and catchy one-liners. A comedic battle of the sexes, it’s full of cheeky lines that Carpenter herself warned might cause “pearl clutching.”
The title track, though catchy, feels tired after months as a single. It does set the album’s tone, but its placement as the opening track feels predictable and may have been better later in the album.
“Tears,” the second track, is one of those pearl-clutching moments that Carpenter teased. Its chorus feels straight out of a TikTok comment section, with its cringeworthy euphemisms and vulgarity. However, the song itself is undeniably catchy and will be a top pop track for many.
The third track, “My Man on Willpower,” flips the mood, with raw honesty about relationships that fade. Capturing that quiet heartbreak when passion fades and a partner drifts emotionally, this song is arguably one of the album’s most relatable moments. Less flashy and fun than its predecessors, it packs an emotional punch and lands itself in my top tier of the album’s ranking.
From there, Carpenter balances humor and heartbreak. “Sugar Talking” demands sincerity over empty apologies, while “We Almost Broke Up Last Night” is lush and intimate. The album’s fifth track is one of my personal favorites, capturing the exhaustion of an on-again-off-again romance.
“Nobody’s Son” leans into 80s pop melancholy, while “Never Getting Laid” uses humor to mask betrayal. Later highlights include the cheeky “When Did You Get Hot?” and “Go Go Juice,” both playful post-breakup tracks.
“Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry” slows things down as a track for the bitter, petty ex who can’t let go. Its yearning lyrics paired with sorrowful tones create a ballad-like finish, though I can’t help but feel it would’ve landed better as an up-tempo track and is the weakest of the record’s 12 tunes.
“House Tour” dives into campy Barbie-pop, while the closing track “Goodbye” ties the album together with ABBA-inspired flair. Together, they lean into retro cheesiness and end the album on a playful note.
At times, “Man’s Best Friend” leans too heavily on shock humor and tropes, leaving certain tracks less than memorable. Still, its more emphatic moments make for a fun, flirty record that fits right into the 21st-century “man-eater pop” lane.
