"I am light as a feather, I'm as stiff as a board", Olivia Rodrigo sings, over finger-picked, richly reverberating electro-acoustic guitar which sounds as if it could be Green Day in the '90s. Then, a few lines later, the scene opens up hugely into grungy guitar and barbed emotion.
This is perhaps one of the best album openings of the year so far, Rodrigo’s 'all-american bitch' from her massively-anticipated second album. The song feels like a mood swing (all credit to my friend Úna for that spot-on description), with its contrasting sections. At the same time, it's a searing exposition of the unrealistic expectations repeatedly placed on women.
This opening track hints at the depth to Rodrigo's second album. It’s a coming of age record, a step forward further into the limelight, and a reflection on what that limelight can be. And, yes, it's an American teen-pop/rock anthem record, too: abounding in tales of love, friendship, enemies, and the rollercoaster of emotions. That makes 'GUTS' an enjoyable listen at one level, and - behind the polished production (which is absolutely fantastic, by the way) - a challenging one at another. That's why everyone should listen to this album; don't say you're too old, the wrong gender, or not really into pop music. There's a message here, an important one (actually, to be more accurate, lots of messages), and Rodrigo's in a place now to be able to tell it to millions of people. The NME got it spot on when they said the album secures Rodrigo's place "as a generational talent".
'GUTS' feels like an album of two halves. After that varied opener, Rodrigo launches into 'bad idea right?', a huge radio hit and one of her strongest tracks to date. She sounds sassy and self-aware, exposing her faults and making herself all the more likeable and relatable for it. The spoken word interludes are perfectly judged, and the jump around chorus, channelling raw Wolf Alice, is a thing of beauty.
'vampire' is a vicious takedown of "the industry" (but could just as well be an anthemic slating of an ex).
Then in 'lacy', we have what sounds like, on the surface, a nice little ditty, sweet and dreamy. But the lyrics clearly darken. Listen closely and you realise that this is a figurative song - another one on the album where Rodrigo exposes her insecurities, flaws and frustrations, and, again, the unrelenting gaze which society and fame turns on women in particular.
'ballad of a homeschool girl' is not really a ballad, and is even more heart-on-sleeve then what's preceded it. It's also an infectious pop-punk track, all sugar-tinged fuzz guitars and open hi-hat beats.
This is all great - I enjoy these tracks every time I listen - but it's after this that I feel we get into the really good stuff. 'making the bed' is track 6 - here the volume drops, the drums become muffled, and Rodrigo's voice - sounding at its best throughout the album as a whole - strains with wistful reflection. The writing gives the feel of a never ending spiral, with lots of repeated words emphasising a claustrophobic sensation. After that, 'logical' remains low key, and catalogues the pain of love through cathartic, soaring drawn-out vocal lines set over open piano chords. This one is a ballad, and it's sad, compelling and very effective. Here it feels like Rodrigo gives herself time to own her emotion, summing up and not shying away from her experiences. This allows her to recover and recharge, ready to fight back.
And she does that in a big way in the next song. 'get him back!' is witty and clever - the double meaning of the title (recurring frequently through the lyrics) is very well used. Both the spoken-word verse and the multi-tracked chorus are irresistibly catchy. It’s another pinpoint mix of retro and modern.
OK where are we? What's next? More teen drama - but that's doing Rodrigo a huge disservice. 'love is embarrassing' - yes, it is, to be honest, but it takes maturity to admit that, and how many other singers of this genre would do it? This song is peppy and lyrically much more straightforward, but gosh it's well written, encapsulating a sub-genre in 2 minutes and 34, with lines like "Just watch as I crucify myself for some weird second string loser who's not worth mentioned" effortlessly tripping off Rodrigo's tongue.
'the grudge' returns to slow introspection and piano chords - another one you can picture Rodrigo singing seated alone in a spotlight on a huge stage. It's lovely. And again, this song represents a breathing space before the singer opens her heart again with another reminder of how horrible society can be. 'pretty isn't pretty' is painfully honest, and, I'm sure, will speak direct into the hearts of many of her fanbase.
"I could change up my body and change up my face, I could try every lipstick in every shade, but I'd always feel the same 'cause pretty isn't pretty enough anyways."
This one fades out - the only song on the album to do so - perhaps a deliberate pointer to the ongoing nature of this struggle.
Finally, 'teenage dream' takes us to a wistful and really moving ending. It's a song packed with self-doubts; we're pretty let into the singer's inner world as she comes to terms with where she is, how she got here, and what she may have missed along the way. Even though I know much of this was likely developed under the watchful eye of a major record label, it nonetheless feels authentic. Rodrigo has spoken of how much she was forced to grow up during the last couple of her teenaged years. While some may not feel a lot of sympathy for a person who now has so much, materially, there's no doubt that this will have come at a price and brought heavy burdens. She's only human. We're all only human. Let's learn together, and be a bit kinder to each other while we’re at it.
As I probably don't need to tell you, OR's tour next year is going to be massive: for the UK, there are now four dates in London and, gratifyingly, two dates each in Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham. This is after an extensive trip around the US and two nights in Dublin, and ahead of 15 dates in Europe and even more stops in North America. See www.oliviarodrigo.com
