Anchors: 5/5
The spotlight was originally put on singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo with the release of her first album “SOUR.” The album includes songs like “drivers license” and “deja vu,” which have collected 1.9 and 1.3 billion streams, respectively, on Spotify since their debut. However, with the release of her newest album, “GUTS,” Rodrigo has only raised the bar.
Rodrigo, once again, co-wrote the 12 track album with her producer Dan Nigro. “GUTS” embodies a certain kind of teenage-girl-angst that hasn’t quite been captured since the early works of Avril Lavigne. Tracks like “all american b***h” and “ballad of a homeschooled girl” are the perfect balance of rock and pop-punk that highlight Rodrigo’s songwriting so well.
That being said, the album still includes heart wrenching ballads––such as “logical”––similar to what we saw on “SOUR” as well. Just like her first album, “GUTS” is relatable without being too cliche; “teenage dream” addresses the issues around the classic “it’ll get better” response that young girls are so often on the receiving end of in a well developed way that won’t leave the listener rolling their eyes.
Covering everything from teenage heartbreak in songs like “the grudge” to body image in “pretty isn’t pretty,” there is no doubt that Rodrigo’s lyrics embody the feelings of girls everywhere, and her 60.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify are there to prove it. On top of lyricism, Rodrigo’s vocals are no doubt also a standout, displaying a wide range of techniques that weren’t highlighted to as great of an extent on “SOUR.”
Simply put, “GUTS” knows what it is and does a great job of being exactly that. If Rodrigo can continue to deliver on this level, we are all in for a treat.
