Olivia Rodrigo released “Guts” on Sept. 8, 2023, breaking a number of records within the first week it was released. The record consisted of 12 songs and a variety of musical styles, quickly gaining traction that prompted Rodrigo to announce her second worldwide tour at only 20 years old.
Leading up to the release of the album, Rodrigo dropped two singles to illustrate the vibe that this album would bring: “vampire” and “bad idea right?” Of these two, “vampire” quickly became one of my favorites. The slow burn beginning into a hard-hitting bridge really shines a light on how unique of a performer Rodrigo is and how she can create contrast in the middle of her songs. “bad idea right?” was very different in style from the previously released song with more of the early 2000s feel found in the chorus, and you can really hear the inspiration from artists like Paramore and Avril Lavigne. We see this inspiration throughout the album with other songs such as “ballad of a homeschooled girl” and “get him back!” But Rodrigo has a few slower songs on this album as well. Some of my favorites are “pretty isn’t pretty” and “the grudge,” which rely on the lyrics to carry the song rather than the beat or the rock vocals.
In addition to the 12 songs on the original album, Rodrigo took a page out of Taylor Swift’s book and released a secret thirteenth song that was only available on the vinyl copy of the record called “obsessed.” The early 2000s theme is also evident in this song and can be heavily compared to “Crushcrushcrush” by Paramore.
My favorite song on this album, though, is “lacy.” From my first listen, I was infatuated with it. The storytelling within that singular song was incredible and the vocal performance is also something of a marvel. However, it is the lyrics that really stood out to me. The story that Rodrigo tries to tell of someone feeling both love and hatred for a single person really showcases how great she is at depicting her own emotions through music. The inclusion of contradictory words such as “sweetest torture” should not make sense, but within the context of the song, they fit perfectly. I believe that this song is the epitome of the quality of Rodrigo’s music and deserves all the praise that it has gained since its release.
Overall, the album really demonstrates Rodrigo’s ability to tell a story throughout a record. All her songs blend together to create a bigger picture and a real story that Rodrigo wants to tell. From the first song to the last, the listener goes through a rollercoaster of emotions and gets to feel what Rodrigo did while composing the songs. Though the popularity of Rodrigo’s new album is not without reason, the album is not as significantly impressive as her first, but I am interested to see how her music evolves over time and which records she will break next.
