Is "Love Is Embarrassing" the best song? Nah. Not by a long shot. But I do think it's a truth rarely expressed. A sort of, "love makes a fool of everyone," sentiment. And it's very relatable. Most people have probably been in a relationship like that, where they swore they were deeply in love with someone they'd only known a couple months, and then the relationship falls apart and they feel like the biggest idiot when they remember the things they said in the beginning. It's embarrassing.
Love is embarrassing is both mine and my girlfriends favorite. That song’s melody is soooo catchy and I love the bratty thing she does to her voice in it.
AVAA what a nuanced view on one of my favourite ever albums, you always have thesis about music that I can't find anywhere else on RU-vid. Ken has released his new 80s pop album by the way
I spent 30 minutes trying to write a mini essay about feminism and patriarchy, and political correctness.. terminology used ecc.. then I thought it is not the place or the occasion to talk about that. I agree almost 100% with your analysis (this time it was interesting in particular the difference you pointed out between explicit and implicit feminism). Olivia Rodrigo and Dua Lipa are my absolute favorite new pop artists! They have a playfulness in their style that I don't find much in Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey or other huge pop stars. I loved this album guts. I still have to listen to your review. Just watched the intro, but AVAA already.
AVAA! Like this album much more than SOUR and I feel like it will age better too. Also your comment on homeschooling’s relationship with parents disbelieving in society punched me in the face
This was an amazing video essay and it was wonderful to hear a dad/older man articulate so many feelings so succinctly and smartly and incorporate the context of society and HER context existing in society into your understanding of this album. You’ve earned a subscriber out of me and I look forward to following you and your critical analysis of music moving forward!
AVAA! Your reviews are always thought-provoking and inspiring, the one based on Weyes Blood’s Hearts Aglow made me read Flannery O’Connor’s book and I may have found my way to Joan Didion with this one. Also I believe that Olivia is so honest in her lyrics and some of her power comes from there.
Glad that I can help people find their way to the books that inspire their favorite artists. It is really one of the joys of doing this. Thank you so much for the support!
great video! I did want to add that a big reason a lot of people homeschool their kids is because its better economically or location-wise. I was homeschooled for a while just because it wouldnt be viable to drive me to school, then drive my brother to a different school, then drive my mum to work. Also the silly vocals on love is embarrassing are rad as hell -100 points
AVAA Gotta say, I found this to be one of your best reviews of all time. That may have had something to do with my going on a 5 mile run while listening to it, idk. But to my ears this contained so much wholesome dad advice and empathy for young people (girls in particular). Your daughter should be proud that her dad can generate media analysis like this. Now, I‘ve only heard Olivia’s singles on radio, and I can’t say I’ve ever even heard a single interview with her, but part of me can’t help but think she would agree with every word of this. I hope that somehow she sees this review, because you’ve almost certainly contextualized her environment and articulated the meaning of her self expression better than she could. (I don’t say that to be dismissive of her or to remove her agency, I just say it because no 20 year old can fully articulate why they feel certain things.)
AVAA! Going to be honest, I started watching your videos when you discovered Taylor and made the folklore/evermore discussion. BUT! Been here since- and I love your content, I throw it up while I’m working and it’s always great listening. I am an indie artist myself and have an ep out, called Boy in the Movies. I’d love for you to hear it, no need to make a video or anything. I’d just be stoked for you to listen. Have a great day! - Bradley June
AVAA, i always appreciate your video style, the effort put in isnt missed. There truly isn't any other reviewer doing it quite like you. Im so lucky to have stumbled across your account, since your video on 'a beginner's mind' was reccomended to me ive been watching you! An interesting video to start on as it showed how well versed you are in movies too! Which isnt something that has come up too much since, i'd love to see you do more movie related content on your spam channer or something of the like!
As always I wait for your review more than anyone else in the world even Pitchfork or fantano whose opinion I respect but they're more of a reviewer in a rater way. ykwim. And I hate reviewers rating that's honestly devaluing of music. With u, u get to the core of it off of your perception which I respect even more. I love your essays. and if course. AVAA.
She was a teachers pet, over archieving, perfectionist type. As a daughter of a teacher and family therapist. You can really tell with the songs she has written. And it's totally believable that she read that book.
I thought "SOUR" was much more about the potential of Oilivia Rodrigo than "GUTS" is. which shows she's finally come into her own; much like the teenage sophormore records "Fearless" vs "Taylor Swift" (Taylor Swift), "Melodrama" vs. "Pure Heroine (Lorde), and "WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?" vs "Happier Than Ever" (Billie Eilish). As I wrote on your review of "SOUR": "Solid album for a debut and from a teenager that highlights strong potential but I hope she's able to find her own voice (original 'sound') if you will" since I thought a lot of that record sounded like a mix and cut and paste of her influences (which I felt she wore way too much on her sleeve; to the point where she literally sampled a Taylor Swift instrumental). On "GUTS," her inspirations are still there; but it's much more subtle and you can hear more of Olivia's own unique voice shining through (I think a track like "lacy" is a highlight where she outdid Lorde on a "Solar Power"-sounding track for example lol). I think this (like with Taylor, Lorde, Billie) is simply the result of stronger songwriting (probably also helped by the experience of touring) as well, ya know, just living life (the difference between 17 and 19 is huge when you're that young). While I agree with gender analysis, I do think there is an ongoing issue (save Eilish because it's literally her brother) with female pop stars collaborating with almost exclusively male producers. I remember watching "folklore: the long pond studio sessions" when it came out on Disney+ and thinking the image of Taylor singing with two male producers playing the instruments brought up the image of the Tin Pan Alley of the 20s where you had female performers singing songs written by men (even though Taylor obviously had more of a hand in creating the music than those early singers ever did). It was just the optics. A huge issue is getting more women involved behind the glass in music and I feel these pop stars have that ability to give them a chance. I thought Alanis Morrisette's 2020 album "Such Pretty Forks in the Road" (which relied on female production and co-writers) was probably her best album since "Jagged Little Pill" and a decidedly feminist record. That little personal preference aside, I think this is an astounding work of pop music that shows her fianlly coming into her own.
Incredible review, very "on the nose" lol. Very great and important album from a very great and important artist. Beautiful interpretation from you. AVAA
For lacy, I’ve always thought it was beauty standards that she set on herself (especially as a mixed race living in the US). She hates it and acknowledges it is almost unachievable but she still can’t help set herself to those standards. AVAA this is the first time I watched any of your videos and I immediately subscribed.
'Tell me in the comments who, in pop music, is better at dynamics' ooooh (rubs hands) (lmao) So you've heard Rina Sawayama's work before (on Charli XCX's Beg For You - and maybe other times as well, I don't know obvs ahah), but I really recommend you listen to her 2020 record 'Sawayama' - her first EP, 'Rina', is great as well, but not quite as refined, and her follow up album, 'Hold The Girl', has great lyricism but, imo, less exciting production and instrumentals. She the absolute queen of genre-blending and genre-bending, and as such, I find her dynamics are unmatched. Now, this is coming from a person who is a similage age as her and who grew up listening to the very specific same music she did, which means I'm the perfect demographic for her music ahahah but I think you would still find her work compelling and worthy of thought, her lyrics touch on a lot of themes that mix the social and the personal in a way I think you would find interesting. As per usual, this was a great review, I appreciate your perspective and specifically the way you understand your perspective as being just that, and as being impactful on the way you digest and appreciate art - as well as your willingness to learn. I come from a very-different-yet-somewhat-adjacent perspective as a woman who grew up listening to rock and metal (and suppressing my love of pop in the name of contrarianism and internalised misogyny), but who was very much excluded of the norms of beauty, so I too find myself looking at conventionally attractive and preppy women and thinking 'ok but what do you know about Joan Didion/rock/pain?', but looking outside of my knee-jerk gatekeeping, I am really happy that young women can find ways to express themselves through alt music genres. (And I laughed out loud the first time I heard Olivia Rodrigo sing 'I wanna meet his mum just to tell her her son sucks' lmao)
The verse melody on "love is embarrassing" to me, is very obviously inspired by Billy Joel's You May Be Right. So it's not surprising it's your least favorite on the album! AVAA!
I agree on the female thing. But I think only Billie Ellish (maybe some of Lana too) has created truly legacy stuff. And the problem with all of these is that feminism has come of age with an unsustainable neoliberalism/corporatism. It will be interesting to see if feminism can break away from its corporate coupling.
This is why I love Billie Eilish so much, so natural, does not fuss with her look or over makeup herself when she is performing to crowds. She has criticized herself as taking herself too serious in her mag covers looks..
@@professorskye I think id describe this album more barbie rock than barbie pop. Olivia has said multiple times since even before sour came out that she doesnt see herself as a pop star. More of a singer songwriter who enjoys rocks and likes to express herself in a fem rock way bc thats how she grew up
