The singer’s sophomore album presents a compelling argument for the revitalization of rock as musical theater, as she grapples with the inevitable challenges of life.
Have you ever been captivated by a song without fully understanding its meaning? This rarely happens to me when I listen to Olivia Rodrigo. The 20-year-old pop sensation has conquered the world by expressing tumultuous emotions with the precision of a seasoned journalist. The songs on her latest album, Guts, provide concise statements about the nature of heartbreak, proclaiming, “Love’s embarrassing” (on “Love Is Embarrassing”) or “Love is never logical” (on “Logical”). The extraordinary “Get Him Back!” portrays the internal struggle between desire and resentment towards an ex—a messy situation that Rodrigo transforms into a tight sitcom. “I wanna meet his mom,” she laments, “just to tell her her son sucks!”
Rodrigo burst onto the scene in 2021 with the release of her hit single (“Drivers License”) and her debut album (Sour), perfectly timed for an era of straightforward, unambiguous pop songwriting. Influenced by Taylor Swift’s ability to express herself candidly and the simplification of complex emotions on social media, Sour dissected the micro-emotions of a teenage breakup. Rodrigo, also known for her acting role in Disney’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, delivered each lyric with the appropriate quiver, snicker, or sigh. With the assistance of her main producer, Dan Nigro, the music seamlessly shifted between soft ballads and energetic punk and emo-infused anthems.
When an artist’s debut is as confident and fully developed as Rodrigo’s, what do they do next? Guts represents less of an evolution and more of a consolidation, making a compelling case for rock’s resurgence in the realm of musical theater. Rodrigo and Nigro challenged themselves to be bolder, funnier, and more diverse. They extracted drama from Rodrigo’s highly scrutinized personal life while connecting it to the broader experience of growing up in the digital age as a young woman. While certain elements in these songs may evoke a sense of familiarity, the juxtapositions feel fresh, and Rodrigo’s personality shines through. Although some moments may feel a bit too effortless, Guts certainly doesn’t lack substance. It’s just that all the substance is on the surface.
The standout tracks are the lively ones. Rodrigo’s millennial pop-punk has transitioned into an homage to Gen X rock knowledge. In the pulsating single “Bad Idea Right?,” glimpses of the Pixies, Pavement, and even Metallica can be heard as Rodrigo playfully talks herself into an intense encounter. The aforementioned highlight, “Get Him Back,” employs the foundation laid by Beck’s “Loser” and adds overlapping vocals to create a symphony of bratty energy. “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” channels the socially anxious spirit of ’90s teen films, capturing a modern form of maladjustment as Rodrigo mentions “searching how to start a conversation on a website.”
The slower songs possess both emotional impact and lyrical wisdom, although Rodrigo’s literalism can be grating at times. Specifically, “The Grudge”—reminiscent of “Drivers License”—and the confession of the pain caused by fame on “Making the Bed” come across as overly sentimental and generic. “You must be insecure, you must be so unhappy / and I know in my heart / hurt people hurt people,” she sings to an adversary in the former song, imparting a therapy cliche as if it were a profound revelation. A stronger ballad is found in “Logical,” with its fast tempo and minimalistic soundscape that captures the essence of spiraling nerves. Rodrigo reflects on treating relationships as mathematical equations: “Two plus two equals five / and I’m the love of your life,” a perfect analogy for an artist constantly struggling to reconcile the mind and the heart.
The last two songs on the album veer towards didacticism, but in a poignant and almost desperate manner. The hazy guitars of “Pretty Isn’t Pretty” evoke the spirit of the Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979”—a prime example of a song where mood triumphs over message—as Rodrigo delves into topics such as disordered eating, prescription medications, and the influence of toxic media. Her criticism of beauty culture may not be groundbreaking, but it serves as a reminder that Rodrigo’s young listeners, who are deeply immersed in online culture, can benefit from hearing it. Following that is “Teenage Dream,” where she contemplates the challenges of adulthood. “When will all my excuses / for not learning my lessons / start to feel melancholy?” she asks. “Will I spend the rest of my years yearning to go
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