Overview

• Carpenter’s 12-track seventh album arrived Friday with the stylized “Tears” video featuring Colman Domingo.
• Most songs carry explicit labels, and lead single “Manchild” had already reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.
• She defended the original cover on CBS Mornings as about choice and control after issuing alternate artwork following criticism.
• Launch events include a Spotify fan gathering at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Complex pop-up experiences in Los Angeles and New York through Sept. 1.
• Early critical response has been largely positive, with The Guardian giving four stars and Variety calling it one of the year’s best pop records.