The sophomore album is possibly one of the most daunting phenomena of the music industry. If an artist’s debut album did poorly, their sophomore album is their chance to prove themselves, and if an artist’s debut album received critical acclaim, the sophomore album can be the deciding factor as to whether or not they got lucky the first time. Either way, it’s important because no one wants to face the “sophomore slump.”
In 2021, 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo took the music industry by storm with the release of her debut album “SOUR.” The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, taking home Best Pop Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards, where Rodrigo won two other awards, including Best New Artist.
With three Grammys under her belt after just one year of being on the music scene, Rodrigo was considered a rising star to watch and people have been anticipating her return.
On September 6, 2023, Rodrigo released her sophomore album “GUTS” and although the album has only been out for four days at the time of me writing this, it has consumed my life.
The 12-track album features five songs with heavy pop rock influences and seven that are lyrically driven ballads. It dives into multiple aspects of Rodrigo’s life from dating an older man, to the struggles that come with becoming successful at a young age.
After cycling through the album at least a dozen times, I can definitively say my favorite track is “all-american bitch,” a pop-punk song that sounds like it could be heard in a cult classic teen movie from the late ‘90s or early 2000s. It opens with simple, light, and airy guitar picking while Rodrigo’s voice feathers over the instrumental. Then, the chorus hits and suddenly you’ve been pulled into a punk rock song. The song goes back and forth between the airiness and rock, reaching its peak during the bridge where Rodrigo literally screams over the drum and guitar heavy instrumental. Looking past the vocals and the instrumental, “all-american bitch” comments on the way women are perceived in society and how we’re expected to be kind, happy, and helpful while we’re left screaming on the inside.
Other favorites of mine include “ballad of a homeschooled girl” and “get him back!” which also have that angsty teen pop rock sound. In the former Rodrigo screams “each day I step outside/it’s social suicide” when reflecting on the social awkardness she faces due to her homeschooled upbringing. “get him back!” explores the internal conflict Rodrigo goes through when thinking about her ex. Does she want to get him back and rebuild their relationship? Or does she want to be vengeful and get him back for the pain he caused?
While I prefer the pop-punk side of “GUTS,” the ballads on the album are also strong, but “making the bed” and “teenage dream” stood out the most.
In “making the bed” Rodrigo acknowledges that she can’t constantly play the victim when things go wrong, referencing the expression “you made your bed, now lie in it.” In “teenage dream” Rodrigo sings, “got your whole life ahead of you/you’re only nineteen/but I fear that they already got all the best parts of me/and I’m sorry that I couldn’t always be your teenage dream,” referencing her fear of not living up to the success she gained at a young age.
There’s only so many songs I can mention in this review and I send my sincerest apologies to “love is embarrassing,” and “bad idea right?” for not making the cut. However, what I can say in this review is that “GUTS” is a hit and will likely debut at number one. I can also say that if you like genre bending albums with great lyricism, you’ll enjoy “GUTS” and even if that isn’t your style, I still suggest you check it out.