Olivia Rodrigo won’t be pigeonholed on You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love (Review)

If there’s one prevailing thought when it comes to singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, it’s that she is pushing her sound, as evidenced by her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.

Nearly three years after Guts, the no-skips follow-up to an album that shares a similar sentiment, Sour (with the exception of “Jealousy, Jealousy”), You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is here. It’s her most unique project to date, and it feels the most serious she has taken an album.

From the production to her lyrics, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love might be her best album. It’ll take some more time to really hone in on that, but she took a detour from the original presumed trajectory of her career.

Sour was filled with Avril Lavigne-like skater rock songs, while Guts leaned heavily into glam rock influences. You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love features some of those qualities, along with her signature ballads (which are always the highlight), and goes headfirst into The Cure, who pop up in a variety of ways, including her first feature on an album by Robert Smith.

You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is genuinely great. Rodrigo has done something that other pop artists like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles failed to achieve with their last albums — commit to a sound.

Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love review

“Drop Dead” opens the album, and it was the lead single. It took some time, but it definitely has grown into one of her better songs. Perhaps it was a little off-putting that the opening notes resembled Benson Boone’s “Mr Electric Blue,” a comparison few strive for.

However, it is like “Sapphire” from Ed Sheeran’s Play album. It’s the perfect “Olivia Rodrigo pop song,” a familiar appetizer to introduce listeners to an auteur main dish.

“Stupid Song” showcases Rodrigo’s voice. She’s always at her best while at a piano. “Stupid Song” begins as a piano-driven ballad before a full band comes in. Some of the lyrics are familiar, with Rodrigo lamenting that “nobody’s wanted somebody more,” after previously claiming an ex-love “couldn’t have cared less about someone who loved you more.”

Another piano ballad follows with “Honeybee,” which almost sounds like her take on a Billie Eilish song, thanks to her breathy tone. It’s likely that Rodrigo is a hopeless romantic, as many of the songs on her third album show. Yet, she remains hopeful in finding a soul mate, as she ends “Honeybee” with “here’s to hoping.”

The best song on the album

The album’s peak is “Begged,” the ninth track. She played it on SNL in May, and it was a standout over that night’s performance of “Drop Dead.”

“Begged’s” descending guitar notes and her singing pattern are reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” It’s another example of her yearning, as she talks about waiting for the right relationship to arise.

This song is You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love’s equivalent to “Making the Bed” from Guts. It’s the most vulnerable song on the album, and that’s when she’s at her best.

Even more impressive is that Rodrigo received the sole writing credit for the song. Two of You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love’s best songs (“Honeybee” and “Begged”) were solely written by her. If there was any doubt of her writing abilities, look no further than these tracks.

A few songs later, “Less” similarly shows her vulnerability. The slow piano melody sets the stage for a song about a relationship that’s run its course — something neither party wants to admit.

“Less” ends with some of the best lyrics she has ever written: “If loving me means saying, ‘Babe, I think this is the end,’ well, I guess I wish, I wish, I wish you loved me less.”

The Cure’s impact on Olivia Rodrigo is obvious

It’s no secret that Rodrigo loves The Cure. From name-dropping “Just Like Heaven” in “Drop Dead” to calling a song “The Cure” to having Smith feature on “What’s Wrong With Me,” she doesn’t shy away from the band’s influence on her sound any more than she does bed metaphors, which make several appearances on her third album. Beds are what cars are to Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.

The Cure is one of the earliest gothic rock bands. They’ve always been experimental, using synthesizers to create moods. Perhaps on the nose, there’s nothing wrong with Rodrigo paying homage to one of her favorite artists.

For one, she never rips off their sound. Greta Van Fleet earns endless comparisons to Led Zeppelin and Guns N’ Roses, but they have, at times, borderline-parodied their songs. Even if Rodrigo’s songs like “U + Me =

Rodrigo has learned to smile through the pain as The Cure has done for years. Some of their darkest songs are hidden beneath synthesizers. The “Good 4 U” singer does this exceptionally well with “Expectations,” the album’s penultimate track. The bass drives the song, and its upbeat nature masks her singing about the post-party realization that the guy she was talking to wasn’t attractive. “Expectations” also seemingly gives a shoutout to her close friend Conan Gray, mentioning “vodka crans.”

Should you listen to Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love?

These days, it feels like every artist’s new album is a masterpiece. Well, Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love makes a great case for becoming one.

On the surface, her songs have evolved beyond breakup tunes. Now, a 23-year-old Rodrigo is facing the struggles and hopelessness of dating in your early twenties.

Credit to Dan Nigro, who returned as the producer of You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. He has been lockstep with Rodrigo throughout her career, producing all three of her albums by himself.

His biggest strength is letting Rodrigo be herself on the album. She was a teenager when they began recording together, but as a 23-year-old, she’s taking the reins more than ever.

While she had a few solo writing credits on her debut album (“Enough for You” and “Happier,” two great songs), they co-wrote every song on Guts together. She once again received two solo writing credits on her third album. I’d expect to see that number increase with her next album.

Plus, his flexibility has allowed You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love to become unique. Unlike some other pop producers, he doesn’t impose his sound on her album. He’s allowed Rodrigo to experiment, never putting her in a box.

Rodrigo has arrived with You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, making her three-for-three. Pop stars should take note — Rodrigo is the cure (pun intended) for second and third album slumps.

You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is out now.

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