Published by Mason Oldridge, 8 September 2023
Pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo is back with her follow-up album, two years after her debut which shot her to international recognition.
Like her predecessor, Rodrigo delicately balances piano ballads and angry rock songs while mastering the vocals on both halves. Additionally, the tracklist is full of unique and clever lyrics and excellent instrumental production, aligning perfectly to the themes of heartbreak and anger felt throughout the record.
GUTS details Rodrigo’s whirlwind final year as a teen and is named after the idioms of “spill your guts, hate your guts”.
Opening track All-American Bitch incorporates punk rock, drawing heavy comparison to the skater boy days of Avril Lavigne while Bad Idea Right? chronicles giving in to temptation with a toxic ex. Lead single Vampire is easily the standout of the album; this piano ballad demonstrates what a perfect song sounds like and is nothing short of a 21st century masterpiece. Lacy is a beautiful dreamy song about idolisation, Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl is (confusingly) an epic pop rock song about lacking social confidence, Logical contains some of the most innovative lyrics, Get Him Back! is a super catchy pop song, Pretty Isn’t Pretty tackles self-worth and Teenage Dream provides an angelic closer to the album.
Rodrigo is an absolute megastar with unmatching talent, she is like a new age Taylor Swift yet with more individualism. Matching the emotional depth of Sour, GUTS is simply a perfect album.
10/10