Rating: 7/10
Evolution by Sabrina Carpenter was a major improvement upon her first album, Eyes Wide Open. It displayed a more experimental and soulful sound, while moving into more lyrically profound territory. Back in the day, I really loved this album (I was a huge Sabrina Carpenter fan), so a lot of these songs have nostalgia points with me.
In this post, I’ll be ranking all the songs from Sabrina Carpenter’s sophomore album, Evolution, from worst to best. Enjoy!
10. Don’t Want It Back (Track 7)
Four years ago, this was my least favorite track from the album, and it still is. It’s not bad by any means, it just blends in with some of the other songs.
9. Thumbs (Track 3)
This is probably the most popular song from Evolution because it got some traction as a single, but it was never my favorite. I like the verses better than the chorus, and if the harsh production in the chorus had been avoided, I would have this song much higher. The bridge of this song is pretty awesome, and sonically, it’s one of the more unique songs on the album.
8. All We Have Is Love (Track 10)
Here’s where we transition into my favorite songs from the album. This is a really sweet and refreshing song (with a Beatles-inspired title?) and I think it’s a good closer for the album. It’s a gentle song, with Sabrina singing almost entirely in her upper register. The first five seconds is my favorite part of this song, and if this song was a little more stripped back it would’ve been one of my top picks from the album.
7. Mirage (Track 6)
This is a very atmospheric and dreamy song, which suits the name. The lyrics center around how there are certain stigmas and requirements that are expected to go along with being successful. I’m not crazy about the chorus, but I really like the verses. “And every face is a hologram. We’re all caught in a dream, we’re all caught in a dream. And everyone plays so innocent, it’s all part of the scene.”
6. On Purpose (Track 1)
The lead single from this album did a great job of introducing Sabrina’s maturer sound, and it also does a good job as an opener, because it introduces the romantic themes of the album. This song is pretty nostalgic for me, and it’s actually a really good pop song (Sabrina’s vocals are great and the production is really good). It just gives me good vibes. However, it’s not as sonically interesting as some of the other songs.
5. Feels Like Loneliness (Track 2)
“We can’t get the timing, because I was running. But now I want you, and you always knew, so baby, you pull away and make me wait for you. So screw all that love -ish, I think that I’ve had it. The more you turn your back, then I want you back, ’cause this is the last time I play this game. Always the same, and I’m through.” This song could’ve been so freaking good if only the whole song sounded like the verses. The verses are so jazzy and soulful and laid-back, but the chorus sounds like any radio song. Sabrina’s vocals are great, and the lyrics are pretty fun, though, so it gets to be in the top 5.
4. Run and Hide (Track 5)
“And why does everybody look at young hearts feeling love like it’s just a matter of time before they break?” This is one of the more stripped-back songs on Evolution, and it’s done really well. The instrumentation is somber but poignant, and the lyrics are also some of the best on the album. It’s a beautiful song, and would be a good gauge of the album’s quality. “Traded out our eyes to light a screen, traded out holdin’ hands to holdin’ back everything…And words got shorter and quiet got longer, and all of a sudden love started looking like a memory.”
3. No Words (Track 4)
The opening of this song is stunning. Sabrina really served with the vocals there. The production is also pretty cool. The main reason I like this song is because the vocals are fantastic, the lyrics are intriguing, and it’s just really catchy. “Ribs are the cage of a wild heart, I can hear your heart beatin’ on the bars.”
2. Shadows (Track 8)
This is objectively the best song on the album. A piano-driven song, Shadows has a lyrical depth that the other songs lack. Sabrina’s voice sounds really beautiful here, and the chorus (differing from the other songs on Evolution) is actually my favorite part of the song. Well, actually the pre-chorus is, but the chorus is really good too. “I don’t mind your shadows, ’cause they disappear in the light. I don’t mind your shadows ’cause they look a lot like mine.”
1. Space (Track 9)
This was my favorite song back in the day, and it still is now. The production is really cool, Sabrina sounds great, and the lyrics are relatable, because they’re applicable to a myriad of situations. Really, it’s just a fun song, and it’s really nostalgic for me, so it has a special place in my heart.
Anna's Music World 