Two years after the smashing success of her debut album Sour, Olivia Rodrigo is back with new music. The Disney-actor-turned-Superstar released her Sophomore album Guts on Sept. 8, 2023. The album comes in at 39 minutes and 18 seconds and I can truly say that every one of those seconds had me begging Rodrigo to stop reading my mind.
The album was announced through a June 26 Instagram post. Soon after, Rodrigo released two singles: “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” If the aesthetics of these songs were put on a spectrum, these two tracks would be at opposite ends. “Vampire,” which chronicles Rodriogo’s time in a toxic relationship, is a power ballad full of strong vocals and heavy metaphors. “Bad Idea Right?” is a playful and cheeky pop-punk track with a guitar part that’s somehow both exciting and a bit unsettling.
What I would soon come to realize is that these singles serve as a sneak peek for the two main aesthetics of the album. While half the songs are heart-wrenching, tear-jerking ballads reminiscent of “Vampire,” the other half have me contemplating becoming a headbanger. For some reason, these two opposite vibes work well together, even when presented within the same song (see: “All-American Bitch”). While the album is a bit of a rollercoaster, so is the transition from teenage girlhood to one’s early twenties. After spending a few days with the album I have come to the conclusion that I love Guts, and here’s why.
It’s Incredibly Relatable
Being that she’s only five months older than me, it’s not that surprising that I relate a lot to Rodrigo. I may not be famous or constantly scrutinized by the media, but I have surely been a 19-year-old girl unsure of her body, her mind, and her place in the world.
A standout track when looking at the relatability factor is “Ballad of a Homeschool Girl.” The angsty track five is not actually a ballad at all. Rather, it is an upbeat song about Rodrigo’s struggle to “fit in” and interpret social cues. The lyric “I laughed at the wrong time, sat with the wrong guy, sеarchin’ ‘how to start a conversation?’ on a website” hit me particularly hard.
Songs like “Logical,” “Making the Bed,” and “Lacy” discuss the pain of navigating relationships as a young adult, and all I have to say is ouch.
“Pretty Isn’t Pretty,” the lovely track eleven is a more grounded, almost solemn look at the themes Rodrigo has previously sung about on Sour’s track nine “Jealousy, Jealousy.” It’s hard, yet relatable, to hear that Rodrigo still struggles with issues of body image and social comparison. Some may say that the Guts track is just a regurgitation of its Sour predecessor, but the truth is: these issues do not just go away. I wish it wasn’t as relatable as it is, but it really does feel like “pretty isn’t pretty enough” sometimes.
The Lyrics are Whimsical and Wise
I am a sucker for a good lyric. While I think Sour has some incredible lines, the lyrics of Guts feel more mature, vulnerable, and authentic. The closing track “Teenage Dream” stands out in this regard. The first line, “When am I gonna stop being wise beyond my years and just start being wise?” made my jaw drop.
The song goes on to critique the standards that many teenage girls are held to, often leading them to believe that they are not as valuable once they reach twenty. Rodrigo then casually sings “When am I gonna stop being great for my age and just start being good?” which sends me into a bit of a spiral. It seems as though there is always this higher standard for women to achieve. The outro features a haunting repetition of the lines “They all say that it gets better, it gets better the more you grow. Yeah, they all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don’t?” And to that, I say: Olivia, please stop reading my diary.
While I’m tempted to say that “Teenage Dream” is her lyrical peak, there are definitely some other songs competing for that spot. Some other lyrics I just have to shout out are:
“I know, in my heart, hurt people hurt people. And we both drew blood, but, man, those cuts were never equal” (“The Grudge”)
“I’m on the outside of the greatest inside joke and I hate all my clothes. Feels like my skin doesn’t fit right over my bones” (“Ballad of a Homeschool Girl”)
“I tell someone I love them just as a distraction. They tell me that they love me like I’m some tourist attraction. They’re changin’ my machinery and I just let it happen. I got the things I wanted, it’s just not what I imagined” (“Making the Bed”).
It’s FUN!
As “Teenage Dream” discusses, many people hold Rodrigo to this high standard. I think the pressure to exceed expectations is a huge part of what makes releasing a successful sophomore album so hard. When Guts was first released, some fans expressed disappointment in Rodrigo’s new style and the album’s short length. What harsh critics fail to recognize is that the album is incredibly fun. Reminiscent of an early 2000’s party montage, Guts feels both nostalgic and fresh.
The song that illustrates this point the best, and what has become my favorite track on the album, is “Get Him Back!” With both love and revenge on her mind, “Get Him Back!” sees Rodrigo ranting, laughing, and yelling about a man of her past. This upbeat banger is certainly an earworm, a title I give to it with love. The talk-rapping of the verses launches into one of the most infectious choruses I have ever heard. Sure, the lyrics are a bit silly but the album really starts to shine if you lean into the silliness. I mean, who doesn’t want to belt out: “And when I told him how he hurt me, he’d tell me I was trippin’ — but I am my father’s daughter, so maybe I could fix him!”
While it’s too soon to say if Guts will become one of my favorite albums or fade into oblivion, I’m having a blast getting to know its insides and outs. While Rodrigo may have made some real big mistakes, making this album certainly isn’t one of them.
I rate it an 8/10.