GUTS – OLIVIA RODRIGO
Released: September 8, 2023
Genre: Pop-Punk, Pop-Rock
Runtime: 39 Minutes
American singer, songwriter and Disney actress Olivia Rodrigo is back for her sophomore album GUTS following the overwhelmingly positive reception of her 2021 debut record SOUR. Her first record garnered praise for her raw natural vocals, songwriting abilities and fresh approach to the mainstream pop-punk scene… but there was more to be desired. Luckily for us, all we needed to do was wait two years and this album, it’s pretty good.
SOUR saw Olivia dip her toes into the pop-punk genre and play around with sounds and aesthetics and with GUTS she’s now swimming in this sound. The second single bad idea right? is where we really hear Olivia’s passion for the pop-rock and pop-punk aesthetic come to fruition. Pulling inspiration from acts like Paramore it’s a loud and rambunctious ballad about questioning your moral compass on whether to get with your ex. With her two year break she’s filled in some of the cracks that were open on SOUR and isn’t so afraid to wear her inspirations on her sleeve like on songs like get him back!, ballad of a homeschooled girl and love is embarrassing where she takes some notes from Rage Against the Machine.
Whilst Olivia Rodrigo is still in a sad-girl mood, it’s filled with a bit more angst and zest. I think this was a solid decision for her, sonically and artistically. She has a rebellious teenage edge to her voice but isn’t afraid to show her emotions and cry her heart out in sorrow or anger. As a 20 year old Olivia still has a lot to offer and I can’t wait for her to break more boundaries and delve more out of her comfort zone.
8/10
