With the Thanksgiving tomorrow, holiday preparations are in full swing. A huge aspect of the holiday season is, of course, the music. Besides the original classics, artists tend to put out new festive music right before the season begins. Although many tend to wait until after Thanksgiving, Sabrina Carpenter is already ahead of the curve.
Announced November 17th through Instagram, Carpenter posted a collage for her brand new album, fruitcake.
This mini-album consists of six songs; five originals and one classic with a twist. Since this seems to be one of the first holiday albums of the season, here’s all of our thoughts on fruitcake.
“A Nonsense Christmas”
Opening the album is “A Nonsense Christmas,” a play on the song “Nonsense” from Sabrina’s latest album. The song has the same beat and melody as “Nonsense,” just with different lyrics. The lyrics still tell a story of lust and longing, just in more holiday-forward format.
The song starts with:
“Think I only want you under my mistle toe. I might change your contact to ‘Has a huge North Pole.'”
The lyrics express Carpenter’s feelings in a playful, lustful way. Based on the original, fans can get an idea of where this is going. The song itself is a fun and flirty twist on the original, which skyrocketed to the charts. Bells can be heard in the background of the pop melody, making this the perfect holiday version of
“Buy Me Presents”
Up next on the list is “buy me presents,” a jazzy, upbeat holiday melody. This song is inspired by classic holiday tunes, with a subtle jazz undertone.
“buy me presents” seems to have a similar storyline as “A Nonsense Christmas,” with lyrics like:
“If you were a wise man, baby, you would drop Every other ho, ho, ho and put me on top Up there on your tree, better treat me like a star Spend your cookie dough, dough, dough, spend it on my heart.”
Sabrina Carpenter is definitely feeling herself this holiday season. She knows what she deserves and will not settle for anything less. Carpenter’s confidence is quite prevalent throughout “buy me presents”, making this a super fun listen. The lyrics are catchy and the beat is definitely dance-worthy.
“Santa doesn’t know you like I do”
“santa doesn’t know you like i do” is a wonderful break between two upbeat songs. With a slower tune and longing lyricism, Carpenter hit the nail on the head with this one. This song feels like the perfect track to curl up to, preferably with a blanket and a warm cup of cocoa.
These softer lyrics are much different than the previous ones:
“Santa Doesn’t Know you like i do, I know all of your favorite songs, pick up each time you call, so why can’t i be the one, to give you everything you want.”
A wonderful, mellow-er song with meaningful lyrics. This one is definitely getting added to my Christmas playlist.
“Cindy Lou who”
“cindy lou who” is a gutwrenching follow-up to “santa doesn’t know you like i do.” Although the previous track is more on the soft side, this one is devastating. With quite a big change from the first two tracks, “cindy lou who” focuses on the sad aspects of a relationship.
Carpenter’s melancholy feelings turn into soul-crushing lyricism:
“Maybe he met you somewhere in the desert, while he was soul-searching, he found someone better, guess you make him happy like i couldn’t do.”
This is such a well-written song, but geared more towards a blue kind of Christmas. If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted holiday season, you might want to skip this one. But feeling angsty? This track is for you. The artistry behind this song makes for a beautifully sad listen.
“is it new years yet?”
Second to last on the album, “is it new years yet?” brings the upbeat vibes back with a disco-esque tone. Staying on theme with the exploration of relationships, this one introduces a new feeling into the mix—bored of love.
Carpenter cleverly expresses her disdain toward the holiday season and laments the lack of love she’s experiencing:
“it’s the 25th, I wish it was the 1st, couples all around me, damn it hurts, wanna push ’em in the fireplace watch ’em burn.”
“is it new year yet?” is such a pivot from the sadness of “cindy lou who”, but a nice way to bring back a more carefree, dance-worthy feeling. If you’re tired of relationships this holiday season, then this one is for you.
“white xmas”
Finally, the album closes off with a rendition of the classic “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin. Although the lyrics are the same, Carpenter uses this as an opportunity to show off her incredible voice. The background vocals are her own harmonies, melding together with the original sound beautifully.
“white xmas” is a wonderful revamp of a holiday classic. If you’re a fan of traditional Christmas tunes, this might be one you want to add to your playlist.
Final Thoughts
Sabrina Carpenter’s holiday-themed emotional rollercoaster makes fruitcake a great album for anyone. Between love ballads and songs of longing, there’s a little bit of everything here. My personal favorites are “santa doesn’t know you like i do,” and “cindy lou who.” Although they are more on the slower, sadder side, the lyricism is incredible.
fruitcake is a great representation of Sabrina Carpenter’s artistry and talent. If you’re looking for some new music this holiday season, this is definitely the album for you.
