This homeschooled girl has returned to the review scene. In spite of any personal chaos, one of my first extensive reviews was Olivia's debut album. I have highly anticipated record number two. I am elated to review her again. I fear disappointment.
The good news is, if you liked Sour, I think you will like Guts. Not just because she thankfully did not radically change who she was on album two, but she leaned even more into the rock side of things. I'd call this more Avril Lavigne and Courtney Love than Taylor Swift. I'm absolutely okay with that.
For starters, I know some people are going to whine she did not "innovate" her sound from Sour. She did! She just did what they used to do, gradually grow but keep the essence of what made them what they were. People don't always need to make a metalcore album then suddenly go electronica. This was not oddly specific at all to a particular band...
I actually feel like she leaned more into the punky side of things from the rawness. Don't let the lead single fool you - this record feels less refined than Sour. The ballads aren't as elegant and pretty. This feels raw. Raw like the essence of spilling your guts. Exactly what she was aiming for.
In a perfect homage to Sour beginning with "Brutal", so this album begins with "All-American Bitch", a punkier track that takes on the brutality of woman adulthood! Yay! The idea of the perfect woman is brutal all on its own. It has a bit of that sarcastic humor touch.
It seamlessly transitions to "Bad Idea, Right?", second single of the album. I wasn't sure how I felt about this song at first listen, but it is an earworm. This is far more a scream in your car song than Cruel Summer, sorry Taylor. It reminds me of older punk like The Waitresses, or even a little smidge of The Pretenders creeping in. It still feels fresh though.
"Vampire" brings us to the lead and the first ballad. I love how the song builds up. That is usually how painful reminiscing goes. Oh yeah, I'm totally over it. Wait no, definitely not over it. You still suck. BURN.
"Lacy" feels like a perfect ode returning to the sentiment of Jealousy, Jealousy with less anger. More of the pain of feeling the jealousy. The first Sour track comes off angry. Lacy captures what truly hides behind jealousy: our own deafening sense of inferiority. Feeling nothing we do is enough, and seeing someone's greener grass.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" was quickly claimed in my brain. It is hard being a homeschooled girl, even if you are outgoing like I am. Everyone acts like because you aren't in their school yard clique that you are trash. Worst of all, you don't realize the petty teenage expectations because you didn't go to their petty school and have their petty thoughts about other people. I would have ugly cried to this song as a teen. Actually I should still, my mom would argue my gaydar is still broken. I think it was written in a way a non-homeschooled person could definitely feel the isolation pain too.
"Making the Bed" is a wonderful sentiment of responsibility for your own actions. Sometimes we really are our own worst enemies. We are what is in the way. You cannot change and grow without acceptance.
I can imagine some people saying "Logical" is stupid. You know, it kind of is. As a matter of fact, the lyricism seems to just take a bunch of cliche jargons of illogical things. Being a good lyricist, or singer, is not just about writing the most poetic song. Can you sell me that you feel what you are saying? The way she wails, the way it builds to the bridge, the blind faith. I can feel it. So I don't care how dumb you tell me this is, because she is right. Love is NEVER logical. Otherwise there wouldn't be a lot of other things like divorce.
When I saw the title of "Get Him Back", I imagined it was going to be a song about missing someone and wanting them back. Boy was I wrong. I love the switch up of that title. Meet his mom and then tell her son sucks! I love how ridiculously petty this is!
"Love is Embarrassing" I intitially thought was going to embarass me by sounding like a bad Bleachers track. It is much better than a Bleachers song. Haven't we all given up dumb things for a second string loser we don't wanna mention? Don't lie - you were definitely a teenager once.
"The Grudge" definitely hit me in the personal feelings. This is my new Traitor for songs Olivia decided to make too connectable for me. It is the diaristic ones like this that remind me Taylor Swift is one of her greatest influences.
God if "Pretty Isn't Pretty" doesn't capture self-esteem pains so deeply. I think I love this one a lot though because where the bridge goes. She is absolutely right that you just feel like shit over and over again. The best thing you can do is be your brand of pretty and get what makes you feel good instead of competing.
Sour closed with a sort of hopeful track in "Hope Ur Ok". It captured reminisce and reaching out. "Teenage Dream" seems depressing, but I feel like it has some realism in it. You don't just want to be seen as that kid, you just want to be better. It does capture that fresh adulthood anxiety...or maybe that is a newer thing. I don't think it is new for a youth to begin thinking oh...I'm not a teenager anymore. I guess I better figure my shit out.
MUSIC: 10/10 - I love the musical direction of this album. It threw the obsession with the perfect pop notes in the garbage. Step aside Ariana's perfectly in tune range, raw emotion is BACK!
LYRICS: 10/10 - okay, some of them are not exactly perfection. But for what they are and where they are, it works. And it deserves respect.
OVERALL: 10/10 - I feared a sophomore slump of epic proportions in comparison to Sour. She would sell out, lose herself, give up the essence of what made her special. She instead leaned into it even harder and refused to be shaken. If she keeps this up, she is going to be the force to be reckoned with in this industry.
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