The Glory of "Guts"
Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album builds on the success of her record-breaking debut.
Today’s main story is written by Marisa Culmer, a sophomore and the Beacon’s Design Editor.
On September 8th, Olivia Rodrigo released Guts, the long-awaited follow-up to her debut album Sour, the longest-running debut album in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart this century. There were high expectations and a lot of pressure on this next album, as people wondered if it would be as good as her debut, but she did not disappoint.
Rodrigo has mentioned how hard it was to create a sophomore album that could do as well as her first, but she mentioned that she wanted to make something she would want to hear on the radio. Guts is Rodrigo’s most energetic, angsty and intimate album so far, with a perfect balance of pop-punk hits and emotional power ballads.
Guts also shows Rodrigo healing from the experiences she shared in Sour. She laughs at herself in “Love is Embarrassing,” struggles to fit in in “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” looks for revenge in “Bad Idea Right?,” and reflects on self-positivity in “Pretty Isn’t Pretty.” The lyrics are self-aware and honest throughout this angst-filled album.
There are influences of ‘90s grunge punk that have been coming back into today's mainstream music in songs such as the first one on the record, “All-American Bitch,” which starts off light before jumping right into punk aggression. After Rodrigo screams out her frustrations, she goes right back to being calm and quiet, which our society considers the qualities of the perfect “all American” girl.
Her comeback single, “Vampire,” describes how a boy took advantage of her and used her, using a vampire as a metaphor to illustrate how he sucked the life out of her. The song starts off as a slow ballad, then speeds up into an upbeat pop song, similar to “Driver’s License,” the first single on Sour. Her lyrics and piercing vocals are what make the song, and it is easy to see that her voice has matured since the debut album.
The second single, “Bad Idea Right?,” is a playful pop-punk track that follows Rodrigo leaving her friends to go see her ex-boyfriend, which many can connect with. She sings about her reckless behavior, going back to a guy who is most likely in the spotlight of many of her other songs. She is able to portray the confusing feelings flawlessly while keeping the song lighthearted and energetic.
The latest single is “Get Him Back!,” which describes the confusing feelings of a breakup. The song has a double meaning: she wants to get him back to start their relationship again, but at the same time she wants to get him back for what he’s done to her, singing, “I wanna meet his mom/just to tell her her son sucks.” Most of the tracks on the album are songs you can enjoy and turn up to dance to; they are upbeat, fun, and carefree.
My personal favorite is “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl.” The song is relatable, especially for her target audience, and the production is unique and lively. It has the feel of a track from the ‘90s or 2000s, while still sounding new and entertaining.
Her more downtempo songs, such as “Logical,” “The Grudge,” and “Teenage Dream,” can’t be excluded, though. The production mixed with her vocals and heart-wrenching lyrics make her songs unique and are the reason Rodrigo has gotten so big. She is able to pour her heart out and spill her guts, without losing the interest of her audience. “Pretty isn’t Pretty” has a quiet but slightly energetic sound, with vulnerable lyrics similar to “Jealousy, Jealousy” from Sour.
She finishes out the album with “Teenage Dream,” which was actually the first song she wrote for Guts. It speaks to another experience so many others have gone through: her struggles with growing up too fast due to the pressures of society. It is the perfect ending to the album. In “Brutal,” the opening track from Sour, she asked where her teenage dream is; now that she finally got it, she feels like she lost the chance to be a kid, as she comes to the end of her teen years.
Though Guts does feature some loud and angry pop-punk songs, she is still able to fit in some of her most vulnerable lyrics yet, and these are what make Rodrigo so interesting. Her vocal diversity has continued to grow a lot since Sour, too. Guts stays close to the elements that made her debut album so successful, but it is also something new and raw.
Score: 4.5 out of 5 Boultons
Home Games of the Week
Monday, September 18:
No Home Games
Tuesday, September 19:
No Home Games
Wednesday, September 20:
Girls Flag Football vs. Marina
Varsity at 3:30
JV at 4:30
Thursday, September 21:
Girls Tennis vs. Huntington Beach
Varsity at 3:00
Girls Volleyball vs. Los Alamitos
F/S at 4:30
JV at 4:30
Varsity at 5:45
Friday, September 22:
Girls Tennis vs. JSerra
F/S at 2:30
Saturday, September 23:
No Home Games
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, September 19: ELAC Meeting (6:00 pm)
Thursday, September 21: Back to School Night (A Day Modified Schedule; BTSN starts at 6:00 pm)
Friday, September 22: B Day Modified Schedule
Friday, September 29: Fall Rally (Rally Schedule)
Saturday, September 30: Homecoming Dance (7:30 pm)
Thank you for reading this week’s installment of the Beacon newsletter! Check back next week for more news and commentary from Newport Harbor’s student journalists.