When Olivia Rodrigo first released her sophomore album, GUTS, I wasn’t immediately an admirer.
I preferred the poignant melodies of her first album, SOUR, which I can barely listen to without promptly being transported to 2021. Even so, there were some tracks from GUTS that I couldn’t resist adding to my playlists, such as “lacy.”
I’ve grown more accustomed to the album since, with a sharp increase in my affection occurring on March 22 when Rodrigo released an addendum to the tracklist: a deluxe version of the album, titled GUTS (spilled).
The deluxe edition contains four tracks that had previously been released on four separate vinyl variants, as well as one brand-new track. Despite the tracks from the vinyl circulating on the internet, I had not heard any of them yet except a snippet of “obsessed.”
“obsessed”
Although this track has only recently arrived on Spotify, Rodrigo has been performing it on her GUTS world tour since before its official release. And I, naturally, have been obsessed with each performance I’ve seen clips of. With the tour visuals of this song fresh in my mind, I listened.
Rodrigo describes being utterly obsessed with her significant other’s ex-partner and how it’s taking over her current relationship and life, all to a catchy, pop-punk beat. One of Rodrigo’s specialties is considered to be her music’s embodiment of teenage girl rage, and this song is exemplary. The hook will not stop replaying over and over again in my mind, and the bitter essence of Rodrigo’s rage is felt every time I internally sing it.
“girl i’ve always been”
This track is not what I expected it to be, and I love it for that. Judging based on the title, I believed this would be a reminiscent ballad brimming with melancholy, reflecting on the past in the context of a relationship, like many of her other songs. Instead, it’s become my personal anthem in the course of just a few days.
The cheerful yet mellow guitar strumming guides the song and gives it an upbeat energy; I don’t say this often—due to the cliche and overall corny imagery—but this song honestly makes me want to dance around my room. Rodrigo creates an authentic aura of originality that entrances the listener and gives them a feeling of contentedness with who they are, which I personally needed desperately as I first listened.
“scared of my guitar”
My vision of this song was, however, more accurate. Even so, the relatable lyrics and raw emotion present throughout the song have earned this song a positive perception in my mind. Rodrigo is not literally scared of her guitar, but rather the honesty and vulnerability she knows it will evoke in her. She’s in a relationship that she knows is wrong for her and wants to avoid her guitar for fear that it’ll force her to admit what she already knows. The bridge of this song is one of my favorites, as Rodrigo’s emotive vocals elevate the song. I’m very glad Rodrigo faced her fears and wrote this song, however frightened she may have been of her stringed instrument.
“stranger”
I’m staring out the rained-on, foggy train window, my acoustic guitar in my lap, with my ambitions driving me to a new destination.
Actually, I’m listening to “stranger.” This track is like the rainbow after the storm, providing closure that the rest of the album craves. Rodrigo narrates the feeling of finally being over someone, to the point where she doesn’t know them anymore, although she still knows everything about them. This song isn’t as memorable as the others, but it still provides a nice wrap-up to the vehemence of everything that comes before it.
“so american”
Unlike the other tracks, “so american” had never been heard prior to the deluxe edition’s release; however, the extra tracks would not be complete without it. There’s a special category of songs that I compartmentalize as being perfect to play in a rom-com, and that category immediately came to mind when I listened to this song. She sings, simply, of being in love, and how infatuated she is with this boy. The song is about her current boyfriend, English actor Louis Partridge; it’s Rodrigo’s first love song, and it makes me hopeful for many more.
After having mixed emotions on the initial album, these five tracks have transformed my view almost entirely. These songs are currently providing the soundtrack for my life, and I’m very grateful that Rodrigo decided to spill more of her guts.
