Guts, an album that I would not blink an eye at if it started playing in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, is the second album from pop-star Olivia Rodrigo. The collection of songs can easily be sorted into two categories, bratty, angry, rock anthems, and soulful ballads. There may be a consistent self-pitiful, whining theme (which I actually do not hate) throughout Guts, but Rodrigo faces a series of struggles very familiar to Gen Z.
Despite claiming a “goody two-shoes” title, Rodrigo battles with the feeling of spiraling, particularly in “ballad of a homeschooled girl.” The running sentiment of not being able to catch a break, constantly dealing with social anxiety and toxic relationships, is not uncommon. True, especially for young girls reckoning with impossible expectations, the core message of “all-american b*tch.” In the live videos, Rodrigo pulls off a pop-punk sneer after claiming she’ll always be grateful and kind, and then wilds out and drops the persona of what an ideal woman should be.
Guts through and through is an ode to the people and experiences that create a cynical, hurt person and Rodrigo chooses to highlight the manipulative nature of those she has been involved with, however “half responsible” (an excerpt from “logical”) she is. She advertises her own reckless behavior scarily well, an example of this is the ridiculously catchy, untroubled hit, “bad idea right?” If there were one word to describe the song’s storyline, it would be ‘delusional.’ After a bit of partying and some incredible glorification of her ex, Rodrigo decides to drown out that pesky voice of reason. She narrates her rendezvous in a thrilling, yet simultaneously nonchalant way, which may be a good way to describe the whole album, even the pre-release “vampire.” Even with such a trite concept, the clever insults and disorientation of this parasitic affair with an older man, (who also happens to be the subject of “get him back!”) make the song almost invigorating, despite having such a funeral tempo.
I will not be promoting Rodrigo as the perfect role model, but it is hard not to admire the emotional vulnerability thrown into this album. I will be looking forward to her spilling secrets she should not tell in the next one, but until then, Guts will absolutely be playing on loop, so don’t bother asking what I am listening to.