REVIEW #1: 81/100

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Sabrina Carpenter’s debut in the business couldn’t have gone smoother. Scoring decent sales with her debut single, things really took off with her second. The song shot up the charts where it has sat comfortably in the top 10 for several weeks and in the process she’s made quite the name for herself. She’s earned the attention of industry heavy weights such as Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes and has also formed quite the fanbase in her time. This debut record though was not as smooth. Initially struggling to find a direction, Sabrina wasn’t so sure she’d get any project, be it an EP or an album, off the ground. Thankfully, she did and she found where she wanted to go with her project. Did she put herself on the right path?

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The album opens with it’s title track and marquee hit “On My Mind”. The song is upbeat and fun, featuring a slinky and infectious bassline as it’s core driving force. The song is effortlessly catchy and the tone it sets for the album is impeccable. What keeps the song from pure brilliance is the choppy writing. Though most lines land well, some strange choices such as “Caressing my mind, clog it up” and “Holding me, in my membrane” end up sounding off when they aren’t really supposed to. With some polish, the song really would’ve shined brighter, but even still it’s a solid track and a great opening choice. “Disaster” is up next and though it as of now is being relegated to a promo single, it’s a potential hit in the making. The track’s production is, like the opener, fun and infectious. It’s pretty simple, but that suits the song well. Unlike the first track however, Sabrina’s writing really steps up. It’s a very tightly written track and each line hits how it’s intended. In fact everything works so well that the only downside that keeps the song from perfection is it’s short length. It feels like the song disappears before it really gets the chance to show off, but it’s still one of the album’s peaks. “Escape” is a look inside Sabrina’s mind. Recently, many artists have been turning inwards to discuss mental health and Sabrina, like those other artists, does a great job at personalizing the subject to fit her. The song’s production is built around another fantastic bass line, but the beat has a lot of character as well. Lyrically, the song is near perfect, save for the choruses which don’t quite live up to the strength of the verses. The line “Checking for monsters ‘neath my bed/Only to discover they’re in my head” is one of the most poignant lyrics in a pop song in quite some time. The song could’ve stood to be lyrically more dense as there really isn’t too much said. The bridge could’ve been longer, as could the verses, but even still it’s another incredibly solid track that more than earns it’s place on the tracklist. The album’s first hiccup comes in “Running Away”. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the song by any means, but it doesn’t carry itself the way the other tracks so far have. The production is decent but seems to already be falling into a mold, offering nothing that really makes it stick out from the others. Lyrically the song is underpolished with many lines feeling like first draft attempts. It’s not a song I’d recommend skipping on first listen, but it’s skippable when you come back for re-listens in the future. 

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“Quiet Moment” is the next track in a seemingly endless line of Ariana Grande features over the last year, and it’s on the lesser end of the spectrum. The production is great and continues the infectious and upbeat production, but the lyrics once more hold it back a bit. Sabrina’s part is fine and remains consistent, but Ariana’s verse really sticks out and not in the greatest way. Ariana kept her writing style and it clashes with Sabrina’s writing style. “Now shut up/Can’t you see I’m having fun” really doesn’t mesh with what Sabrina had done lyrically with the rest of the album and it’s unfortunate that she couldn’t mesh into Sabrina’s side of things to make a more cohesive track. “What Have I Done” makes a bold choice that really pays off. The track’s subject matter is juxtaposed by the spritely instrumental. It lends itself to all kinds of metaphorical interpretation such as wearing a smile on the outside and hiding turmoil on the inside. While probably not fashioned with all of the metaphors in mind, it still works well in the song’s favor. Again though it could have stood to be a little longer than just under three minutes to really give us time to sink our teeth into the track. “Take Me Away” continues the dark lyrics but this time the production comes with her. The synths on the track are sublime and really set the mood on the song just as much as the lyrics do. Lyrically the song is a tad unpolished in some spots, but it works on this track as it feels like she’s more on the spot and spontaneous, almost like these words flowed out of her there in the booth. “No Colours on My Canvas” comes through as another one of the album’s undeniable peaks. The production is majestic, dense, and detailed. It really makes this song soar. The lyrics are also up to the task and while in places still rough, some of the best the album has to offer. It’s an incredible listen and a clear standout for the record. “Blinded By My Mind” is the second collaboration on the album and it works far better than the first. These two ladies play wel on each other and the writing feels cohesive, both adapting to each other’s strengths. The production is rock solid as well, although at barely 3 minutes it feels rather speedy where this track could’ve used some more length to allow both artists to really shine and not have to rush. 

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“Spent It All On You” keeps the quality up with another solid gold track. The production is absolutely fantastic and is backed with some of the strongest lyrics on the record. Sabrina really seemed to have a tight hold on the sass in this song and she really makes each word bite to the point where you feel like the one who’s the subject on her ire. As is a common issue on the record, it’s short length leaves you wanting more as the song feels somewhat rushed and we could’ve used quite a bit more time to really live in this song, but this can’t take away from it’s overall effectiveness. “Focus On Me” enlists the help of modern day icon Katy Perry and it keeps the quality up. The production is once more just fantastic, offering one of the funkiest bits on the album. Lyrically, the song is also solid but leans into repetition in the back half where a bridge would’ve been great, however it doesn’t keep this from being the strongest collaboration on the record. The attitude carries over from the previous track and a shot of power and self empowerment is always a wonderful addition. The album’s lead single “Don’t Need You No More” works well in the context of the album, much better than on it’s own. The song clearly came from a different mindset and perspective as the rest of the album and it makes it stick out. The writing is underpolished and reads similar to a song from a Disney oriented act. It does act as an interesting look into the swift growth that Sabrina took on in her writing, and really the song isn’t as clunky as most first singles are. Production wise the song is solid and it’s clear why this was the lead choice, even if also clear why she ended up heading a different direction. The album closes on one of it’s absolute highlights, “Rollercoaster”. The intro alone is a clever bow on top of the album but we’re treated to the undeniable production high point. The energy is palpable and it carries this album to a strong and confident finish. It’s hook is a little weak compared to some others on the album, but the song is still an absolute winner and makes sure the album goes out with a bang! 

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Sabrina Carpenter managed the rare feat of delivering a debut album that has few notable holes in it. The most notable issue that consistently appears is the underpolished lyrics. Granted, Miss Carpenter is young and she’s just getting started so that’s to be expected. Even still, some of the clunkier lines making it to the final release is a bit unfortunate. However, the underpolished portions cannot eclipse the album’s strengths. Sabrina arrived with a fully formed idea and she saw it through to the end. With beyond solid production (in fact some of the most consistently solid production of any major pop album recently) and a vibe and attitude that makes it clear Sabrina had goals, the album feels finished and whole. While many debut albums feel like the artist is struggling for a direction, Sabrina seems to have found her lane. There’s a lot of promise within the record and Sabrina really has so many wonderful places to go from here. 

 

On My Mind 7/10
Disaster 9/10
Escape 8/10
Running Away 6/10
A Quiet Moment 7/10
What Have I Done 8/10
Take Me Away 8/10
No Colours on My Canvas 10/10
Blinded By My Mind 8/10
Spent It All On You 9/10
Focus On Me 9/10
Don’t Need You No More 7/10
Rollercoaster 9/10

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REVIEW #2: 80/100

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Sabrina Carpenter is an artist who rarely comes up. With her infectious hooks and a mass appeal to the audience, the industry has not seen someone quite like her since... Maluma, I would say! The American singer songwriter, who currently has an amazing streak of top 10 hits under her belt and a #1 song & debut, has released maybe the brightest collection of pop anthems this year.

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As the album opens with the title track, "On My Mind", and the second official single, we are thrown into Sabrina's head, her own aspirations, thoughts and anxieties. Although the song doesn't serve as a preview to what we're about to hear in the album and is more of an infatuation, it's still a good opener! The snappy instrumental works with the playful lyrics and it's a real ear worm. Where the previous song lacks, that's where "Disaster" shines the most. Besides the groovy production, this track allows us to dive in deeper a bit in the concept of the record by showcasing Sabrina's struggles with anxiety in a good lyrical performance. Although there are still some parts that I'm iffy on, this is definitely a highlight on the whole album and could've worked better as an opener lyrically, even though sonically it's a perfect follow-up to "On My Mind".

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"Escape" starts right after. An airy mysterious number that is pretty sultry, but fun to hear as it continues the journey in Carpenter's brain. In fact, this could work as "Disaster" 's darker sister, a different approach to the same theme that is meant to show the worsening of the anxiety. Yes, maybe I am reading too much into it! We continue the listen and "Running Away" begins. This deep house song, similar with European hit single "Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)", manages to shine despite the apparent commercially appealing appearance through its sleek (and GAY) instrumental and gorgeous songwriting, maybe the best on the album so far! The album also manages to be cohesive up to this point, the production growing darker with each track as we explore more of the singer's thoughts. Afterwards, in a little bit jarring type of transition, we get to the highest peaking single off the record, the Ariana Grande accompanied "Quiet Moment". Lyrically, it kind of fits within the album's concept, but it definitely is one of the weakest songs so far. I can see why it's a single though, the chorus is very good and catchy! When "What Have I Done?" starts, I know this song is a filler. Nothing about it feels memorable, although it's not bad per say. A little dull? Maybe! The lyrics are pretty interesting and it's a shame the production stops this song from being another highlight.

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At this point in an album, the listener could feel overwhelmed. They could be bored, tired and wishing for the record to come to an end. This could be the case here too, especially after the last 2 songs. Then "Take Me Away" starts. A creepy piano severs as the introduction, one of the most interesting on the album. And this leaves some question marks. One wonders "what is this song and what direction is it going?". Turns out, when Sabrina starts singing, this is the absolute highlight of the album. With a Max Martin-esque production, where more elements are added as the song progresses, this song not only brings life back into the listening experience, it also enhances the concept and opens a door into the back of Sabrina's mind both sonically and lyrically. Let's not mention the crazy chorus and its anthem-like feeling! It is both euphoric and really gloomy at the same time. Undoubtedly the best song on the entire album. Kind of hard to follow a peak that strong, yet the songstress manages to do so with the next song. "No Colour On My Canvas" is an upwards rise sonically, gradually making the album stray further from the dark sound and into a lighter one. Lyrically, this continues with the theme of fears and anxieties, which makes me think Sabrina is very anxious. Girl, me too! Anyway, good song, nothing bad to say about it really. 

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Up next is the second collaboration on the album, "Blinded By My Mind" with Mariah Carey. The two make a perfect pair on this house track with 80s influenced, similar with the sound of Carey's most recent GRAMMY winning record, "Mirage". Although her appearance is brief, her contribution is more than enough and works very well. "Spent It All On You" is a funky dance song that uplifts the mood after the gradual change in tone and is a breath of relief and an incredible jam, while "Focus On Me" acts as a follow-up sonically. One huge strength of this album at this point is how it takes the listener through ups and downs of emotions only for us to get to the conclusion in "Don't Need You (No More)". Arguably the weakest song on the record, it still makes do in the context of the album, putting in perspective Sabrina's healing process and being a great indicator that she's on the other side. Or is she?

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"Rollercoaster" starts and we learn that maybe Sabrina is not in a better place. The clips of previous tracks in the beginning, over the synths, sounding like something straight from a 2000s trance song, really do replicate the feeling of an actual rollercoaster and are straight forward in telling us what is the purpose of this song: an epilogue. In the lyrics, we find the singer acknowledging her emotions and how, although she was doing better, she'll always go back to her dark place, thus making this simple song, at first sight, a legendary ending to the record. Despite that, the deluxe tracks serve a great side dish. A tasty dessert if you may! "Dark Side of The Moon" is perhaps one of the strongest tracks Sabrina has released, being both catchy, witty and well-written. "Silence" is not on the same level, but it's still a nice song, a great bop to have!

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All in all, "On My Mind" is a well-put debut. Some dulls aside and some odd songwriting choices, the overall record is really strong. Not only does it follow a concept very flawlessly, it also offers some great songs that excel not by being a reinvention of a whole genre, but by taking the wheel and toying with it in a breathtaking way. Sabrina Carpenter delivers a cohesive, ambitious and sincere pack of anthems on her first record, which makes us look forward to her growth from this point forward.