Artist : Olivia Rodrigo
Album Title: GUTS
Release Date: Sep. 8, 2023
Overall Rating: C-
Artist Olivia Rodrigo rose to stardom with her single “drivers license” and became a household name in the pop industry. Her second studio album “GUTS”, released less than two week ago, has already caught the attention of hundreds of thousands of people.
“I was expecting something like an acceptance after her sadness album “Sour” but “GUTS”, is instead filled with all her rage and all girl songs to fit what girls at a young age are all going through,” sophomore Serafina Baraloto said.
“GUTS” was expected to be a more euphoric and untroubled album, since her first album “Sour” leaned into more of a regretful and melancholic sound. But Rodrigo’s sophomore effort is nothing compared to what the fans expected. The album is written from the point of view of a resentful girl experiencing the struggles of womanhood and growing into an adult. Rodrigo’s songs on her freshman album “Sour” were slow yet catchy. Those songs fit her voice perfectly and showed listeners what she could do. But “GUTS” is predominantly indie-rock, which does not play to her strengths. Much of the album features messy production, resulting in a less enjoyable listening experience than her more compelling first record.
Track 1: “all-american b****”
Rating: D+
“all-american b****” captures the struggles of being a girl in modern society. Rodrigo expresses how women are expected to suppress their anger by playing nice and sweet in the verses and raging in the choruses. She starts off the song by saying how she is “okay” with the twisted realities of how the world expects women to behave. However, as the listener travels through the song, they can hear a jarring switch in the beat and tone of her voice.
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The lyrics express how she does not feel “accepted” as a woman in society. Even though this song conveys an important message, the production is all over the place and sonically in-cohesive. She mixed a soft vocal delivery and a rock sound to show the different sides of what a girl goes through, but the end result was an unpleasant mash of two completely different styles of music.
“I think her new album is a drastic change from her freshman album. I prefer “Sour” more and I expected this album to deliver more of the same energy that “Sour” did. Some songs like “all-american b****” are unlikeable but she still is communicating something that is important to all women,” freshman Olivia Mañas said.
Track 7: “logical”
Rating: B-
“logical” is about looking back and seeing all the red flags that were ignored in a previous relationship. Rodrigo dives into the irrational nature of love and how strong emotions can blindside someone when they are in love. The verse starts off by describing being gaslit into staying with a toxic partner. Rodrigo admits that no matter how poorly she was treated, it did not matter to her, since she was still committed and willing to make the relationship work. Hence, the line “two plus two equals five, and I’m the love of your life…” reveals that she was not thinking straight; she was so in love that it affected her thought process.
The song’s meaning also encapsulates how women feel as if they can change a guy, hence the line, “cause if rain don’t pour, and sun don’t shine, changing you is possible…”. This song has good writing, but sounds like it was a track off “Sour” and does not fit the album’s angrier, more fast-paced vibe. However, its lyrical content makes it stand out from lesser tracks on the album.
“In my opinion, in “GUTS”, her voice sounds very mature and she has definitely grown as an artist after everything she has been through all these years. I truly respect her and love “logical” in particular because the chorus gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. I relate to it because when it comes to relationships that go wrong, I seem to always believe that changing the person is possible. This song reminds me that sometimes I need to realize that I cannot change people,” freshman Carolina Sesin said.
Track 3: “vampire”
Rating: A
“vampire” is the first single off “GUTS,” and is currently the most popular song in the album for a reason. Its melancholy sound and Rodrigo’s stunning singing really ties the song together. The song “vampire” is about being in a relationship with a person that mentally “sucks the life out of you.” Rodrigo is stuck in a relationship where she is being used and overlooked by an older person, hence the lyric “went for me, not her, cause girls your age know better…”. Rodrigo highlights how her heartbreak could have been avoided if she had just listened to the warning signs instead of staying in such a toxic relationship. As Rodrigo sings, she belts the word “bloodsucker” to emphasize how draining the relationship was. Her strong vocal delivery throughout the song masterfully delivers its cathartic emotional payoff.
“I am not a fan of the rock style on her, I don’t think it’s her. “Sour” sounded very mellow, so I did not expect “GUTS” to be so different. “vampire” got a little overplayed, but I do understand its popularity. The beat and lyrics are catchy and her amazing vocal range is on full display,” freshman Jaden Ariga said.
Overall, Rodrigo really put her “GUTS” into this album. Although she has progressed somewhat by changing her style, many of these songs have unpolished production that cannot be overlooked. The album’s sequencing also contributes to the lack of cohesiveness since the songs occupy completely different genres and do not flow into each other effectively. Nevertheless, “GUTS” is still a very emotional and captivating piece of work that will definitely be the topic of many conversations in the weeks to come.
