Anne Bost, Contributing Writer
As June crept slowly toward July, temperatures continued to climb and the air grew thick with humidity and disappointment as summer’s end steadily approached. The song of the summer had yet to be found. The stan culture side of Twitter argued for Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun,” while others vehemently disagreed, swearing that Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” deserved the title.
Still, none of these songs held a candle to the collective agreement and euphoria of 2024’s “Espresso” and “Brat” summer. All in all, the tragic fate of an iconic-songless summer seemed certain for the season, until Sabrina Carpenter announced her new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” which would follow her lead single and fellow song of the summer contender, “Manchild.”
With the precedent of “Manchild” debuting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and the UK, its accompanying album’s future gleamed with promise. However, that shiny gloss was dimmed by the endless supply of angry comments and Twitter threads desperate to smother it before it ever got the chance to breathe. The source of their fury? The album’s cover photo and promotional pictures. The pop star’s controversial pictures starred her on her hands and knees in front of a man who had a fistful of her blonde hair; laying against a bed post with a man kneeling at her feet and sprawled out in the grass under the mist of a sprinkler system.
Many women condemned the photographs, calling them sexist and saying Carpenter had set the feminist movement back. Some even went so far as to accuse her grass photoshoot of being a recreation of a scene in the 1997 movie “Lolita,” something that the pop princess openly and blatantly denied, explaining the inspiration for the shoot actually came from Pinterest. However, the roars of anger and responding loud cries of defense would only continue.
Consulting Kore Miller, a third year student and longtime fan of Sabrina, as well as Dr. Jamie Capuzza, a professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, among other subjects, on the contentious album, resulted in hearing two different but equally intellectual schools of thought.
On one hand, Kore Miller argued that Sabrina’s blatant sexualization of herself in the album’s cover photo was a satirical response to the public’s hypersexual perception of her after the release of her songs “Juno” and “Bed Chem” on the album “Short N’ Sweet.” He expanded on his thinking by observing, “Everyone was like ‘it’s all about sex!’ and [Sabrina] was like ‘Mm, no’ and she decided to take that and turn it into “Man’s Best Friend.”’”
Dr. Capuzza, while in agreement that the album was most likely spoofing the treatment women and Carpenter herself have received in Hollywood, was a bit more conflicted on the matter.
“Her maybe being hypersexualized and being held up on a pedestal as hypersexualized I mean maybe it’s her way to create a space for everyday women to have their say. I mean, part of me’s like ‘Jeez. I know that sex sells. She’s laughing all the way to the bank.’ Good for her, she’s making a lot of money and that money will give her power to control other things in her life. So as a good feminist I’m all for that. Deep down, I wish she could do it a different way, but you know I’m not judging.”
Regardless of the varying opinions, criticism and initial problems, Sabrina Carpenter has found great success with her latest album. In fact, the album has accumulated over a billion streams since its release less than a month ago and its lead single “Manchild” was even crowned Video of the Year at the Video Music Awards. But what about the people who haven’t listened to “Man’s Best Friend?” Well, if you’ve yet to dip your toes into the vibrant world of Sabrina Carpenter and aren’t sure where to start, consider this your lucky day. The 12 song long tracklist calls on a variety of genres in each of its melodies. From discotech to glam-pop and even the sugary sweet soprano riffs typically seen on Broadway, there’s a song playlist worthy for a wide breadth of people.
The album’s theme of hypersexualization and satirical commentary shines through brightest in the songs “Manchild” and “Tears”. “Manchild,” her lead single, is an upbeat tune you can’t help but tap your feet to even as she brutally disparages the men she attracts, calling them out on their crap one clever line at a time. The music video and its outlandish shots add even more merit to the song, far too relatable for anyone who likes men. “Tears,” on the other hand, while taking after the lead single in both its sexual nature and sense of humor, brings the “Man’s Best Friend” persona to a whole new level and criticizes men through a catalogue of backhanded compliments. In between exaggerated sounds of pleasure, Sabrina sings that a man being responsible, knowing how to communicate and respecting women are enough to get her hot. She simultaneously praises him and emphasizes how low women’s expectations for men have become, stringing all of this along into a groovy rhythm.
Keeping the upbeat energy alive, “When Did You Get Hot” appears on the album as an equally kitschy and catchy take on seeing someone you used to know after they’ve had a major glow up. “House Tour,” just as lighthearted as the previous, continues the theme of songs with a groove as irresistible as Carpenter and her ‘house’ herself. Each house-related sexual innuendo falls in time with the driving pulse of the synth beat and 70s percussion sound effects.
An unexpected twist comes when the songs and their infinite catchiness become the soundtrack for her heartbreaks and the manchildren who subjected her to them. “Sugar Talking,” for example, seems like it’ll fall perfectly in line with the sexual themes of the other songs. However, the lyrics quickly refer to something more raw and devastating, as it discusses the simple desire for someone to deliver on their promises and not break her heart again.
Continuing with the motif of being burned by boys, “Nobody’s Son” recounts the familiar feeling of crying in bed, third wheeling your friend’s happy relationships and telling a man’s doting mother about the horrible way their “baby” treated her.
Another sudden 180 happens in the album when the men are no longer using but being used. Instead of lamenting about the woes of being a woman in the 21st century, “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry” shows Carpenter becoming the source of the man’s woes. Embodying the phrase ‘I am no man’s peace,’ she takes on a more antagonistic role in this song, completely contradicting the expectations set by its melancholic melody. Truly a woman in a male dominated field, the lyrics describe sending mixed signals to and messing with the guy she’s seeing’s head.
The chaos continues in “Go Go Juice”, a feel good rhythmic song about not feeling good and easing that heartache with boys and alcohol that she shrewdly refers to as her “go go juice.”
The last songs, just as brilliant but lacking a category to place them under, are “My Man on Willpower,” “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night,” “Never Getting Laid,” and “Goodbye.” “My Man on Willpower” is a confused complaint with a cheery beat about a man who had been obsessed and in love with her suddenly losing all physical interest. “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” discusses the cycle of a dying relationship as it fades between drifting apart and nearly breaking up to reconciling and having makeup sex. “Never Getting Laid” is about moving on from the guy who broke things off, but not wanting him to move on. Finally, “Goodbye” is an ABBA-esque loathe letter to a man who broke her heart by saying goodbye then coming back to beg for another chance.
Overall, “Man’s Best Friend” is a cleverly written and catchy, but very divisive album that centers itself on challenging the tightrope women are forced to walk in media, particularly being sexy while never talking about sex themselves. Sabrina Carpenter, both with the pictures and lyrics for this album, takes the experience of women being turned into objects for pleasure and turns it on its head. She does so at her own will and makes money from it all while commenting on the reductive nature of viewing women through this lens.
The songs themselves as well as their retro disco vibes aren’t for everyone, but the album through its controversies and musical genius gained significant publicity and finally delivered the eager public the songs of the summer even if it wasn’t what they were expecting.