On September 8, Olivia Rodrigo released a new album called GUTS. I was a big fan of her first album SOUR, and was excited to see what she would do with a new album. After listening to the album many times, and spending way too much money on tickets for her tour, I have prepared an overview of my opinions on each of the songs. Enjoy!
“All American Bitch” 6/10
“All American Bitch” is a great first song for an album; it has a great vibe that is perfect to sing along to. When I first listened to it, I loved it and I thought it was so fun. However, as I listen to it more, I also begin to dislike the song more. The ending in particular makes the song worse as a whole. Towards the end, Rodrigo starts to scream and the song seems all over the place. I think she could’ve done a better job with the placement of lyrics as well. The scream and outro of the song are unnecessary, and the song could have been much better if she had changed them. I probably won’t be listening to that song because of the ending, although I love the first portion of it.
“Bad Idea Right?” 6/10
I hated this song when I first listened to it. I thought it sounded like something she would have sung during her Disney Channel days. Although I love a good immature song, this one was too angsty and childish. However, this song has grown on me since she first released it. I think the chorus is so fun and I think it is a creative song that many people can relate to. I’m still not the biggest fan of the bridge because I think it’s a little too childish, but overall I enjoy this song.
“Vampire” 8/10
This was the perfect choice of song to make a single. It is such a great song. I love that it starts out slower, then speeds up. My favorite song from her previous album is “favorite crime,” and this song reminded me of that one. The only reason this song is not a 10 out of 10 is because I’ve heard it so much and some of the lyrics are questionable. My favorite part of the song is the ending when there is a big crescendo and then it stops.
“Lacy” 4/10
At first, this song bored me and I was disappointed by it. Now, I dislike it much less as opposed to before. It is not my favorite kind of music, which probably informs my negative response about it. However, I think it was a good slower song to add to the album. This song reminded me of the song “Labyrinth” by Taylor Swift. This is because it seems forgotten about, but it’s forgotten for a good reason. I think the idea of this song was good, but Rodrigo could’ve approached it better.
“Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” 5/10
Surprisingly, I really liked this song when I first listened to it. Now that I hear it more, this song has grown to annoy me. I think the name of this song is funny and creative, but the lyrics don’t uphold the expectations I had for it based on the title. I don’t dislike this song, but I wouldn’t choose to listen to it. However, this would be a fantastic sleepover song and I want to memorize the lyrics, even if it’s weird.
“Making the Bed” 100000000/10
This is currently my favorite song. I thought it had the perfect balance of slow, pop, and emotional teenage girl embedded in the song. My favorite lyric in the song is, “they tell me that they love me like I’m some tourist attraction.” Tourist attractions are there to attract tourists (aka people who will eventually leave to go back home), not to attract people who will stay for a long time. By comparing herself to a tourist attraction, it’s saying that when people say they love her, it’s temporary love and not true love. The people who say they “love her,” love her for themselves rather than wanting the best for her. There are so many more lyrics that are this clever throughout the song; “Making the bed” is definitely the best song on this album.
“Logical” 9/10
This is the perfect song to cry to, and the bridge is the best part. “Logical” makes me want a horrible boyfriend so I can relate to this song. At first, the lyric “you got me thinkin’ two plus two equals five,” sounded stupid to me, but since I first listened to it, I’ve started to love it and I think it is very catchy. If the end of this song was different, I think it would be a 10 out of 10.
“Get him back!” 0/10 and 10/10
This song makes me laugh. When I listen to it, I picture a toddler stomping around and throwing a tantrum. There is a time and a place for this song, but this album is not the time or place. I think if she had written it and given it to the Disney Channel to put in a movie, then this song would be so good. It reminds me of all the songs in the Descendants movies, and that can be a good thing. The song is really fun and it’s very catchy, but the vocals and lyrics in it could have been better. This song is really weird to me because I think it’s a bad song, but it’s also one of my favorites to sing. One thing I admire about it is the double meaning in the song. Get him back can mean to get revenge or to get back together with an ex, and I think a lot of people can feel both at the same time, which makes it relatable.
“Love is Embarrassing” 10/10
I think this song is perfect for this album; it is very upbeat and perfect for dancing to. The chorus is the best part; I like the verses as well, but they don’t compare to the chorus. I also loved the ending of this song when it’s upbeat then just stops, rather than slowing down to an ending.
“The Grudge” 10/10
“The Grudge” is such a deep song. I can’t believe that Olivia Rodrigo wrote this about how she feels at the age of 20. I think this song has the best lyrics out of all the songs on the new album, especially in the verses. The chorus is great, but the verses in particular are the best parts of the song. I love the lyric, “the arguments that I have won against you in my head,” because it’s so relatable and it fits in the songs well.
“Pretty isn’t Pretty” 7/10
I love the idea of this song and the meaning behind it, but I think the execution could have been better. The song seems a little repetitive, and I think she could’ve sang better. However, I think the lyrics are amazing and I think this was a great addition to the album.
“Teenage Dream” 8/10
This is the perfect title for a song by Olivia Rodrigo. I think it is a little weird that she was 20 when this album came out, but the song is talking about her 19th birthday. I love the chorus and the transition from slower to more upbeat. This song is the epitome of Rodrigo’s song style and it was a perfect way to end the album.
