Olivia Rodrigo albums

2023

Guts - 81%

So I turned 40 this year, and one thing I have gotten used to is most music that is coming out is from band's younger than I am. While I am totally fine with that and still love and excited by new music, Nothing makes feel older than liking an album that sounds as youthful as this one, a generation that i often feel out of touch with but. But the magical thing about Rodrigo's music and the thing that surprised me is it is all very relatable, a concept i did not think was possible.

In all, she is Sort of a Alanis Morsette for the 2020’s: there is a great producer/ co writer in Dan Nigro, great grungy backing band, and such passion in the delivery of the music. Early 20’s angsty rock n roll, very much her own perspective summing up the other influences of her era- part pure poppy/ corny Taylor Swift, part sad introspective Phoebe Bridgers, part country ballad Angel Olsen. In fact, it goes deeper- “Love is Embarrassing" simultaneously mixes two Tori Amos songs- “Crucify” and “Raspberry Swirl”, into something even more new and relevant. “Bad Idea Light” shakes of any cobwebs of the ballads that do populate the album that don’t fare as well, as Rodrigo’s best songs tend ot be the more upbeat ones. “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” deserves to be the classic it has become, and closers “Pretty isn’t Pretty” and “Teenage Dream” are actually the best songs on here. The former is maybe the only song that points to a more adult future for a singer song writer past teenage adolescent (some lessons many of her…contemporaries never have learned) and it has the most memorable vocal performance; the latter is a ballad that really builds to something by the end, worthy of any album closer this year.

Best Songs: Pretty isn’t Pretty, Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl, Love Is Embarrassing, Bad Idea Right