“I forgive and forget/I know my age and I act like it/Got what you can’t resist/I’m a perfect all-American.”
The energetic, scream-worthy chorus of the first track on Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, GUTS: “all-american b—,” is a loud and unabashed opening to her sophomore album this year. After her overwhelming success with her debut album, Sour, Rodrigo slipped out of the public eye for a year, with talk of her fame dying down substantially. However, on June 30, 2023, the singer-songwriter dropped “vampire,” a melancholic rock opera allegedly detailing a toxic past relationship, which immediately hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 songs chart. The pop punk track “bad idea right?” followed soon after, with a drastically different message about the temptation to get back with your ex, underscored by heavy drums and riveting guitars.
However, the entirety of GUTS is much more nuanced than shallow teen romance. In Rodrigo’s own words, “A lot of this album is about the confusion that comes with becoming a young adult and figuring out your place in this world.”
That sentiment is clearly reflected in the first of twelve tracks, referenced previously, “all-american b—,” which is a satirical commentary on the stifling stereotypes and expectations forced upon young girls, all wrapped up in the rock hard beats and powerful vocals that the singer was known for in Sour. Following the heavy rock chorus, the bridge ends in a cacophony of screams, Rodrigo’s voice hoarse and candidly raw.
Another popular track on the album is “lacy,” which is one of Rodrigo’s more soft and melancholic songs. With nothing but the quiet plucking of a guitar and the singer’s own harmonies, she compares herself to another girl, only known as “lacy,” and (literally) sings her praises while also loathing her perfection that she will never live up to.
Following “lacy” is “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” which isn’t only a song about the hardships of being homeschooled (an extremely niche demographic). Rodrigo goes on about all the excruciating teenage awkwardness and embarrassing failures that come with growing up: saying the wrong things, laughing at the wrong time, overthinking every action and conversation, basically the universal teen experience. The guitars come to a peak as she belts out that “Each day that I’m alive/It’s social suicide,” which is definitely a feeling that many can painfully relate to.
At the end of all the heart-wrenching ballads and pop punk anthems, GUTS concludes with “teenage dream,” an almost oddly somber last track that certainly doesn’t fail to pull on the heartstrings. This song brings all the themes of the album together and makes it personal as Rodrigo mournfully reflects on her rapid rise to fame and what it’s like to grow up with a spotlight on you. She even directly apologizes to her audience, her voice even softer and tinged with regret as she sings “I’m sorry that I couldn’t always be your teenage dream.” Well, we can only wait and see what Olivia Rodrigo will come up with now that she’s past her teenage years.
