NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� done it again. Her third album, 鈥淵ou seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,鈥� is her best yet 鈥� a giant step forward for the songwriter who emerged a promising young talent before she could even parallel park.
Across 13 tracks, Rodrigo telegraphs the story of a romance 鈥� from a first date to its dissolution, with a lot of self-realization along the way. It’s a concept album about a first big love 鈥� one that dares to dive into the revelation that sometimes the greatest mirror is revealing yourself to another.
The world’s introduction to Rodrigo arrived with the power ballad heard 鈥榬ound the world: 2021鈥檚 leading to her spirited Then came a musical maturation from an artist entering her 20s, and an acute reminder that there are few forces more potent than a young creative woman鈥檚 dissatisfaction 鈥� if she so chooses to wield it.
And she did, like on the Babes In Toyland-esq. 鈥淎ll-American Bitch,鈥� inspired by 鈥淭he White Album,鈥� or 鈥淧retty Isn鈥檛 Pretty,鈥� with its dreamy guitar tones that recalled The Cure. That song might’ve been the best indication of what was to come. The first single from her latest album, 鈥淒rop Dead,鈥� name-checks the 鈥�80s band鈥檚 best-known love song, 鈥淛ust Like Heaven.鈥� The second was titled 鈥淭he Cure,鈥� with its orchestral strings and an explosive bridge. And the third song, revealed onstage at Barcelona’s Primavera Festival just ahead of the album’s release? Her first-ever collaboration, 鈥淲hat’s Wrong with Me,鈥� a duet with The Cure’s lush guitar tones are also heard on the standout 鈥淢aggots for Brains鈥� 鈥� gothic love songs, Rodrigo’s got a few.
On 鈥淵ou seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,鈥� she once again teamed up with principal collaborator Dan Nigro, and their partnership has been further refined. Their productions, now more complicated, nuanced and vibrant with the addition of elements like string arrangements, have a sort of ease of presentation: His emo guitars are still heard on 鈥淧urple,鈥� now delivered with multi-track harmonics. Her playful expressions of girlhood crushing remain intact; now through 鈥�90s jangly guitar pop influences (鈥渦 + me = 3,鈥� an easy contender for one of the best songs she鈥檚 ever written.)
But there’s a lot of exciting new territory here. The cheerleading cadence of the synth-y 鈥淢y Way鈥� evokes the punk sounds of By the time Rodrigo reaches her 鈥淓xpectations鈥� on track 12, she’s pulling from the New Romantics movement’s ebullient synths and robotic vocals in a cheeky tune about hooking up with Mr. Wrong to realize it’s time for Mr. Right.
At every corner, there’s something to celebrate. When Rodrigo cheers 鈥淣obody鈥檚 wanted somebody more鈥� in on the ballad fake out 鈥淪tupid Song,鈥� she ascends. Those wanting her delicate moments will want to zoom to the piano-forward 鈥淗oneybee,鈥� which features choirlike background vocals, partially courtesy 鈥� or the acoustic 鈥淏egged,鈥� with its overdubbed vocal harmonies. Or even the broken 鈥淟ess,鈥� with its clever devastation. But it’s the big feeling up-tempo moments listeners will want to live within.
There are no unimpeachable formulas in music, but there is a widely held belief that a first album is an introduction 鈥� the one an artist has their whole life to work on 鈥� the second builds off the first and the third is a moment of catharsis. Ideally, on that record, they’ve arrived at a more evolved version of who they’ve worked to become. Nothing is so simple, of course, but Rodrigo seems to be a shining example. She seems pretty self-actualized, for a girl so open to falling hard.
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鈥淵ou seem pretty sad for a girl so in love鈥� by Olivia Rodrigo
Four and a half stars out of five.
On repeat: 鈥渦 + me = 3,鈥� 鈥淢aggots for Brains,鈥� 鈥淭he Cure鈥�
Skip it: 鈥淗oneybee鈥�
For fans of: Guitar pop, big hooks, bigger heart
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