Guts

オリヴィア・ロドリゴが待望の2ndアルバムのリリースを発表!!

2021年にリリースされ大ヒットを記録したデビュー・アルバム『サワー』は同年における最大の週間売上で全米アルバム・チャート初登場1位を獲得、第64回グラミー賞では7部門にノミネートされたうち、最優秀新人賞、最優秀ポップ・ソロ・パフォーマンス賞、最優秀ポップ・ボーカル・アルバム賞の3部門の受賞をした。

世界騒然の驚異的なデビューで瞬く間にグローバル・スーパースターに仲間入りした歌姫の待望の第2章が開幕する。先行シングル"Vampire"が公開され、アルバムへの期待度が高まっている。

The meteoric rise Olivia Rodrigo experienced after Sour would have been thrilling and challenging for any artist, but navigating the cusp of adolescence and adulthood at the same time gave her a bounty of material for her second album. GUTS reveals that she didnt crumble under expectations -- instead, she took notes. Recorded with returning producer Daniel Nigro in the same garage studio where he and Rodrigo made Sour, the album hones in on her soaring, soul-baring ballads and spiky pop-punk manifestos and perfects them. "Drivers License" may have been her debut albums mega-hit, but many fans connected with fiercely catchy singles like "Good 4 U." Several of GUTS standouts are in the same throbbing vein: Rodrigo cringes at herself and throws shade at an old flame on the new wave-y "love is embarrassing." She makes mistakes gleefully on "bad idea right?," a witty recollection of hooking up with an ex that rivals Wet Leg when it comes to chugging post-punk-pop with droll singalong choruses. Songs like these suggest that Rodrigos record collection is growing along with her confidence, and though the way "all-american bitch" swings from deceptively winsome folk to raging punk shares pages with Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Loves songbooks, she ties it all together even more convincingly than she did on Sour. Likewise, GUTS not-too-raw, not-too-slick production bolsters her talent for giving complex moods wide appeal. The song "get him back!" tangles revenge and longing in some of the albums most scathing lyrics ("I wanna meet his mom/Just to tell her her son sucks"), but it sounds like a direct hit. This gift is almost as uncommon as her ability to write lyrics so relatable that it feels like shes read her fans diaries -- or minds. Rodrigo confronts the sting of second and third heartbreaks with hard-earned wisdom, and tracks like "making the bed" and "logical" add a refreshing dose of self-awareness to the catharsis of "Drivers License." And while "vampire"s recriminations against older men who leech off of her and "sell (her) for parts" may not reflect the everyday reality of her listeners, it brings them into her world with as much authenticity as her other ballads. GUTS even features songs her listeners might not know they need yet: The breathy "pretty isnt pretty" tackles lookism and body dysmorphia, near-universal experiences for young women with surprisingly few songs written about them. Rodrigo does a remarkable job of balancing moments that are very much of the time when she made the album with moments that hint at more: "teenage dream" yearns for the day when she wont be wise beyond her years, and "lacy" explores the intricacies of jealousy and yearning with nuance that a singer/songwriter of any age would be proud to possess. GUTS is emphatic proof that Rodrigo isnt just good for a kid -- shes grown into an artist with plenty of things to say, and the confidence and eloquence to say them her way. ~ Heather Phares

世界各国のチャートでNo.1ヒットに輝いた先行シングル"Vampire"の拡がりを受けて、2年ぶりのセカンド・アルバムがいよいよリリース。全体的にはオルタナ・ロックへの憧憬を増しながら、ちょうどいい感じのバランス上でバラードやポップ・パンクまでを引き算のアレンジで行き交う基本線は貫かれている。今回も引き続きすべてのプロデュースはダン・ニグロが手掛け、曲作りも主役と二人三脚で担当。"Get Him Back!"にはアレクサンダー23も関与。乾いたギター・サウンドと可憐なヴォーカルのコンビネーションはどことなくかつてのリズ・フェアを思わせたりするところも。
bounce (C)轟ひろみ