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Track By Track: Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘GUTS (spilled)’

Annabel Benton
Olivia Rodrigo performing in September 2023

Featured image courtesy of Justin Higuchi via Wikimedia Commons. No changes have been made to this image.

Annabel Benton

Six months after the release of her sophomore album GUTS (2023), Olivia Rodrigo has released the deluxe edition: GUTS (spilled) (2024). How do the five additional tracks measure up? 

After GUTS outperformed her debut album SOUR (2021) and launched Rodrigo into a more developed and self-assured era, the decision to add to the 12 tracks was initially deemed questionable. From powerful pop tracks like ‘get him back!’ and ‘bad idea right?’ to ballads such as ‘vampire’, GUTS already felt like a fully-formed project.

However, in releasing five more tracks on the deluxe album whilst embarking on a world album tour, Rodrigo has once again proven why she’s the rising pop star of the 2020s. Each addition is playful and exciting, complimenting the initial record without feeling stuck in an artistic mould.

To celebrate the expansion of Rodrigo’s discography, we take a track-by-track look at GUTS (spilled).

‘obsessed’

Starting with a sound familiar to Olivia Rodrigo fans, ‘obsessed’ is instantly catchy. The refrain “I’m so obsessed with your ex” sees Rodrigo once again exploring relatable themes like relationships, jealousy and insecurity. Equally, the rock-sound compliments existing GUTS tracks like ‘all-american bitch’.

Rodrigo also released a music video for ‘obsessed’, featuring an “Exes Annual Ball” and awards show. The video alone highlights just how perfectly ‘obsessed’ fits in within Rodrigo’s current pop-punk, angsty era. ‘obsessed‘ is a clever choice of lead single for (spilled), playfully harking back to the original LP.

‘girl i’ve always been’

Counting in with “six, five, six, seven, eight,” ‘girl i’ve always been’ is a fun departure into country music for Rodrigo. With her voice twanging over a simple acoustic guitar, she declares “I am the girl I’ve always been” in response to accusations that she’s changed.

Despite being the shortest track on the album, the track feels like true bonus material, which wouldn’t have suited the collection of tracks on the original GUTS album. I’d love to see Rodrigo continuing to try her hand at different genres in the future.

‘scared of my guitar’

Contrastingly, the longest and slowest track from the album, ‘scared of my guitar’, demonstrates Rodrigo’s vulnerable side, which we’ve also seen in ‘jealousy, jealousy’ and ‘pretty isn’t pretty’. Olivia explains that she “can’t lie to my guitar,” as she would to a lover, navigating issues of authenticity in both her relationships and music.

“Rodrigo no longer wants to ‘get him back!’ — she wants to move on.”

The song builds nicely and is a fitting mid-point between more upbeat offerings on GUTS (spilled). You can definitely imagine ‘scared of my guitar’ being performed live for a moment of reflection amidst energetic hits such as ‘bad idea right?’. The song also has echoes of ‘traitor’, proving that, while Rodrigo’s sound is constantly evolving, she nonetheless remains true to her debut album, SOUR.

‘stranger’ 

Another guitar track, ‘stranger’ shifts the album to a more hopeful tone. The song is uplifting and rather simple. It reflects the feeling of finally being able to wish your ex well and move on from the relationship as “strangers.” Rodrigo no longer wants to get him back! — she wants to move on.

After so much speculation about which exes her songs are about, “stranger” allows Rodrigo a space for closure. The song sees Rodrigo get a “weight off of my chest” and “feel so complete” in a way she perhaps couldn’t in the original record.

‘so american’ 

The final deluxe offering is ‘so american’, which, not only offers a resounding end to the deluxe tracks, but also the start of a potential next chapter for Rodrigo’s music. As she sings “Ain’t it love? / Think I’m in love,” the song suggests a move into love songs, rather than the breakup ballads which dominated Rodrigo’s  first two albums (think ‘drivers license’ and ‘vampire’).

“GUTS (spilled) is a successful addition to the album released six months earlier.”

If ‘stranger’ spoke of closure from a past relationship, ‘so american’ introduces a new love story to the Olivia Rodrigo universe.

GUTS (spilled)

Overall, GUTS (spilled) is a fantastic addition to the original album, continuing the success of GUTS whilst diversifying Rodrigo’s discography. For an artist currently touring stadiums with just two LPs, the additional tracks provide her with more variety. By artistically “spilling her guts,” Rodrigo has indulged in a deluxe album release, something she didn’t do for SOUR.

Some might see a deluxe release as a revenue-boosting ploy. However, for an artist as big as Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS (spilled) feels like less of a cash grab and more of a gift to her loyal fanbase.

For an artist who quickly rose in fame, the extra songs expand the themes of GUTS and SOUR, whilst allowing Rodrigo a little more creative freedom in genre and topic. Her new songs feel fun and fresh, yet still part of the GUTS brand she is currently touring across the world.

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Featured image courtesy of Justin Higuchi via Flickr. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.

Annabel (she/her) is a BA English Literature student at the University of Manchester. She enjoys writing about student life, culture, and music.

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