Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS | Album Review 💿

With big shoes to fill following the success of her debut album, Sour, Grammy-winner Olivia Rodrigo delivers a marvelous sophomore LP filled with GUTS. 

ALBUM NUMBER TWO CAN BE A CHALLENGE.  Sometimes, it’s a key album for an artists if the first album didn’t hit.  On the other hand, if album number one was the sugar honey iced tea, album number two must at least match if not exceed album number one 😮‍💨 😮‍💨 😮‍💨.  The point is, 🏆 Grammy-winning pop artist 🎙 Olivia Rodrigo had pressure on her to deliver another hit with her sophomore album, 💿 GUTS.  💿 SOUR was huge! Guts were truly required to deliver GUTS.  The good news for the 20-year-old is that GUTS is an excellent follow-up that exceeds any sourness… well, SOUR her debut! 

“All-American Bitch” 

“I know my age, and I act like it.” WOO! Ah, one of many colorful lyrics from 🎵 “All-American Bitch,” the bitchin’ opener from GUTS (sorry, couldn’t resist).  Notably, in the verses, Olivia Rodrigo sings with a kinder, gentler sound, even when she curses (“I’ve got sun in my motherfuckin’ pocket, best believe”).  Expectedly, the chorus is bold, heavy, and loud AF – those roaring guitars 🎸 rock 🤘! “All-American Bitch” is deeper than it’s immature title suggests. It explores the expectations for her as a young, successful artist, as well as the expectation for women, as unfair as they may be. This is definitely a tone setting joint.

“Fuck it, it’s fine.” That’s the kind of energy that Rodrigo serves up on 🤩 🎵 “bad idea right?”, the second single and second track from GUTS. As always, Rodrigo is bold, Gen-Z AF, and unapologetic.  Her fuel is fired by a 🎛 Dan Nigro production, who also co-writes this snarling gem with her. From the jump, “bad idea right?” isn’t a bad idea from a listening perspective.  The pop/rock groove is infectious and intense 🤘. Olivia’s vocal performance is alluring as she’s feisty in the verses with spoken, unapologetic lyrics (“Haven’t heard from you in a couple of months / But I’m out right now and I’m all fucked up”). The spoken portion and vibe bears similarities to 🎵 “Brutal” (💿 Sour). “Bad idea right?” also has its fair share of sung vocals, and when it is melodic, it is truly tuneful.  The section to beat on this ex-fueled joint is the chorus: 

“Yes, I know that he’s my ex   

But can’t two people reconnect?    

I only see him as a friend   

The biggest lie I ever said?”

Appears in 🔻:   

• Awesome Songs: August 2023  

“vampire”

“As you sunk your teeth into me, oh / Bloodsucker, fame fucker / Bleedin’ me dry like a goddamn vampire.” Olivia Rodrigo first returned in a big way with, 🤩 🎵 “Vampire”, the ambitious lead single and third track from GUTS. She doesn’t mince her words.  Rodrigo penned “Vampire” alongside Nigro. Early on, she makes it crystal clear that she is not happy with her ex. “Six months of torture you sold as some forbidden paradise,” she asserts in the first verse, adding, “I loved you truly / You gotta laugh at the stupidity.” Day-um! “Vampire” fittingly commences as a piano ballad, adding instrumentation in the first chorus, where the intensity increases. Rodrigo shows off mad pipes during the chorus, capped off by the epic “bloodsucker, fame fucker…” lyric. By the second verse, also dramatic, drums enter the mix, adding even more intensity, establishing this toxic experience. At one point, she states, “Oh, what a mesmerizing, paralyzing, fucked up little thrill / Can’t figure out just how you do it and God knows I never will.” As excerpted earlier, the centerpiece is the chorus, in all its vampirical thrills: “You only come out at night / I used to think I was smart / But you made me look so naïve.” As bad as the experience was for Rodrigo, she lets it all out on this thrilling gem.    

Appears in 🔻: 

• Awesome Songs: July 2023 

“lacy”

“Smart, sexy Lacy, I’m losin’ it lately / I feel your compliments like bullets on skin.” That is intense.  Clearly, Olivia Rodrigo feels some type of way about 🎵 “lacy.” Ultimately, on this ballad, Rodrigo compares herself to “lacy” – she’s envious. Rodrigo continues shows her ability to shine on ballads. She delivers expressive, gentle vocals, which perfectly capture the poetic lyrics. Harmonized vocals mark another selling point. Also, we can’t fail to mention the moment “lacy” reaches a fever pitch in the bridge (“Oh, oh, oh”).  The rise is short-lived because Rodrigo brings things back down in the outro.  

Following “lacy,” Rodrigo unveils 🤩 🎵 “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” which is NOT a ballad regarding tempo.  From the jump, the listener is treated to distortion.  That distortion also graces Rodrigo’s vocals, only furthering her assertiveness. Also, shout out the prominence of the bass line. The lyrics are fun, particularly the chanted vocals during the second verse.  It’s here that Olivia asserts, “I laughed at the wrong time, sat with the wrong guy,” and most memorably, “Every guy I like is gay.” WOO! The chorus is tuneful and tortured in a angsty teen sort of way (“Every time I step outside, it’s social suicide”). All in all, “ballad of a homeschooled girl” is one of the true bangers from GUTS. 

Follow-up 🤩 🎵 “making the bed” is rad too. Rodrigo is poised initially and expressive as always.  She sounds beautiful when she sings in her upper register.  Because of her ability to use her voice in so many ways, I’d argue that she’s more versatile than she’s given credit for.  Once more the melodies are utterly sublime, particularly the chorus. Speaking of the chorus, the lyrics are honest:  

“Well, sometimes I feel like I don’t wanna be where I am  

Gettin’ drunk at a club with my fair-weather friends 

Push away all the people who know me the best  

But it’s me who’s been makin’ the bed.”

Rodrigo goes on to sing the post-chorus, “Me, who’s been makin’ the bed / Pull the sheets over my head, yeah / Makin’ the bed.” Other pros: the heaviness of the guitar + the wall of sound 💪.  

“logical”

Piano accompaniment can work wonders for a song, PERIOD.  That’s the case on 🎵 “logical,” where the balladry continues to excel for Rodrigo.  Refined, Olivia’s tone is sublime.  Furthermore, the songwriting, tune and lyrics, deliver.  In the chorus, she’s more potent vocally, as he’s “Got me thinkin’ / Two plus two equals five / And I’m the love of your life / ‘Cause if rain don’t pour and sun don’t shine / Then changing is possible.” Rodrigo digs in more in the second verse compared to the first (“And all the things you did to me  / You lied, you lied, you lied”), leading into that marvelous chorus. There is also a powerful bridge section, which expands the production.

“Logical” is great while 🤩 🎵 “get him back!” is absolutely sensation! You know when those drum stick taps kick things off (courtesy of 🎙 Alexander 23) that this song is sure to be a banger.  Olivia Rodrigo truly amps up the personality.  The rhythmic chanted vocals in the verses definitely help showcase a big-time attitude. Exhibit A: “He said he’s six-foot-two, and I’m like, ‘Dude, nice try.’” While there are some parallels to other songs from GUTS, “get him back!” does sound distinctly different, which is a win.  You can’t mention this joint without highlighting that sung chorus which contrasts the verses: “I wanna get him back / I wanna make him really jealous, wanna make him feel bad.”  

Of course, it should be noted that 🤩 🎵 “love is embarrassing.”  In this case, “love is embarrassing” earns a driving groove, which gets the body moving from the get-go. Not only is the music intense, but so is the melody and lyrics in the verses (“And I stayed in the bed for, like a week / When you said space was what you need / Waited by my phone like a goddamn fool”). Indeed, love is embarrassing.  After all, in another catchy, tuneful chorus, Rodrigo asserts, “Just watch as I crucify myself / For some weird second string / Loser who’s not worth mentioning.” Oh, snap 🫰! The personality from Rodrigo continues to equate to two thumbs, wayyy up 👍 👍 👍!  

“the grudge”

Ah, we head to home stretch on GUTS! It first begins with 🎵 “the grudge.” “How could anybody do the things you did so easily?” Rodrigo sings in the chorus, adding, “But you know I can’t let it go, I’ve tried, I’ve tried, I’ve tried.”  Following 🎵 “love is embarrassing,” fittingly, Rodrigo slackens the pace, delivering another ballad. Again, the songwriting is strong, honest and poetic.  Furthermore, she impresses with her vocals, specifically the power she serves up. The bridge marks one of the best, most emotional moments. 

Penultimate track 🎵 “pretty isn’t pretty” restores the groove, opting for a medium tempo. The rhythmic guitar and bass lines are a win.  Another win? Why, another winning chorus of course.  And, for lack of a better word, Rodrigo wows with her lovely falsetto, between those edgy f-bombs, of course 😉. GUTS concludes superbly with 🤩 🎵 “teenage dream.” Again, Olivia Rodrigo gives us a piano-fueled ballad, one that eventually features an epic conclusion with expanded production. Lyrically, there are authentic, introspective vibes from Rodrigo from the jump: “When am I gonna stop being wise beyond my years and just start being wise?” That is the question! Referencing her 20th birthday, and likely, a break-up, Rodrigo tells her legions of fans, “And I’m sorry that I couldn’t always be your teenage dream.” WORD!   

Final Thoughts 💭

Sophomore albums can be tough to navigate, particularly when the first album was such a big deal.  On 💿 GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo proves she has plenty of ‘guts’ and delivers a sophomore album that feels stronger than her debut.  Clearly NOT a one-hit-wonder in the album department, GUTS never misses the mark over its 39-minute runtime.  From the rooter to the tooter, this album showcases just how talented this 20-year-old is.

🤩 Gems 💎: “bad idea right?”, “vampire,” “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” “making the bed,” “get him back!”, “love is embarrassing” & “teenage dream”  

🎙 Olivia Rodrigo • 💿 GUTS • 🏷 Olivia Rodrigo / Geffen • 🗓 9.8.23

[📷: Olivia Rodrigo / Geffen]