The album opener, “drop dead”, states that clearly, even incorporating a natural shift towards synth-pop sheen that builds the crescendo with gusto. Rodrigo sounds charmingly lovestruck with her performance, fully engaged with her affection for her lover as she’s endeared with his love for The Cure, stalks him on the internet, and would “drop dead” when he kisses her entirely.
It might be a simple tale at first, but she paints her journey of love with layers, adding lyrical details that expose how this romantic splendour is not as blissful as she initially thought. The shimmering post-punk of “maggots for brains” details Rodrigo’s experience of not being herself, only becoming complete when her lover is on her side. “my way” evokes her petty energy towards other girls that might onto said lover, with her calling them out with a sneer. “purple” then follows through, utilising the metaphor of mixing colours as a representation of the relationship having chemistry, up until she sings “Melt with you ‘til it all turns black” in the outro.
Starting from “The Cure” is where Rodrigo’s growth as an artist truly shines. Its 5-minute length introduces ruffled acoustic strumming that lays down a tantalising realisation: falling in love isn’t an instant cure to her problems. She wondrously echoes that introspection through her voice, which strengthens around a crescendo that brings the strings to the surface.
This continues further with “less” and “cigarette smoke”. The former’s quaint, organic piano ballad becomes a moment of processing the reality of the relationship sadly fizzling out; her attempts to revitalise it keep failing, only to wish the breakup would’ve been less crushing if he loved her less. The latter ends the album with Rodrigo reflecting on her ex, feeling torn that her wishes and efforts in the relationship go unrequited. The acoustic instrumentation unfurling to the bellowing string and bass swell has her righteously shout: “You will never know my sorrow / Why’d I try at all”.
For its 50-minute runtime, there’s never a moment where it structurally drags or feels out of place, a huge boon that allows the transitions from fiery bangers to tender ballads to stand out. Its measured flow showcases Rodrigo’s refined songcrafting spark. Marvelously swinging across the blend of new wave, post-punk, and pop-rock sonics.
However, what pulls it down is Dan Nigro’s production work. He turns many of the grooves and guitars distractingly underpowered, leading to the plentiful build-ups and melodies not exploding as they should, especially cuts like the glossy pop-rock of “u + me = <3”. But the worst case of this flaw is “what’s wrong with me” with Robert Smith, wherein the synths, drums, and guitars sound exceedingly pale, making his chemistry with Rodrigo feel frustratingly timid.
Despite that specific flaw, it doesn’t slip down Olivia Rodrigo’s sharpest songwriting to date. This only represents her artistic path getting more mature and exciting, especially as she takes risks down the line. After all, in joy and in despair, love leaves a person everlastingly changed.
