Mellow, never saccharine, and just the right amount of bitter, Olivia Rodrigo’s newly released debut album Sour has arrived and it goes down easy. On the album, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star delves further into the Lorde and Taylor Swift–influenced melancholia of “drivers license†and “deja vu†with tracks like “1 step forward 3 steps back,†which actually landed Swift and producer Jack Antonoff on Sour’s songwriting credits, as it includes an interpolation of the folklore singer’s “New Year’s Day†from 2017’s Reputation.
But for our money, the album’s highlights are the angsty teen anthems like “good 4 u†and Sour’s excellent opening number, “brutal.†Sings Rodrigo, “I’m so sick of 17 / Where’s my fucking teenage dream? / If someone tells me one more time / ‘Enjoy your youth,’ I’m gonna cry.†Either way, Sour will definitely leave a good taste in your mouth.