Album Review: Olivia’s World – Greedy & Gorgeous

The Bold, the Bad, the Beauty

After releasing their self-titled debut EP, Olivia’s World, the Australian band has announced their desirely awaited full-length album  Greedy & Gorgeous, arriving March 14. This new project sees the band diving into a bold exploration of beauty and self-discovery while blending their signature satirical Aussie slacker rock with a revitalized punk energy. The album’s lead single, “Sourgum,” captures the grungy, driving, and underscored dynamic sound with a powerful sax solo highlighting their revamped lineup. “I hadn’t picked up the guitar in a while, and it came together in about 30 minutes,” shares vocalist Alice Rezende about the first song they wrote for the album. “It was also the first track we created with the new lineup, and with our new drummer, it became an absolute powerhouse live song.”

In Greedy & Gorgeous, Olivia’s World searches for the perfect balance between mind, body, and beauty. Lead guitarist Rezende, a self-proclaimed Libran, delves into modern health trends and self-care rituals, questioning their role in discovering genuine desire. “Where does real passion fit into things like skin slugging, red light therapy, or spirulina? “What about the carnal and the spiritual?” Rezende wonders. Inspired by Carl Jung’s theories, the album takes listeners on a journey into the darker, more uncomfortable parts of the self, uncovering what’s authentic through exploring the “inferior” and the “offensive.”

The album, a loose concept piece, was written over the past couple of years in the margins of Rezende’s day job as a gallery investigator, where she spent countless solitary hours pondering in front of contemporary masterpieces. Greedy & Gorgeous explores themes of frustration, heartbreak, boredom, “fleshy desire,” and a longing for altered states. “They say to level up don’t drink to get a buzz,” Rezende sings on the track “Healthy & Wealthy,” one of the songs written just before the band entered the studio. “All the while, the morale is seriously low,” she continues, reflecting the tension between striving for purity and the temptations lurking beneath the surface.

The album also introduces two new members to Olivia’s World: Daan Steffens (drums) and Jordan Rodger (lead guitar, vocals). Their presence gives the band’s sound new depth, especially during live shows. With longtime collaborator Joe Saxby still in the fold, the band continues to strike the perfect balance between honoring their influences and creating something uniquely theirs.

The deviating opener, “Porcupine Girl,” where Rezende’s playful phrases wrap around a marching beat, to “Empresário,” the album’s centerpiece, where the band alternates between steady verses and explosive, Dinosaur Jr.-like instrumental breaks, Greedy & Gorgeous reels in a raw, powerful energy. “Sourgum” is a full-steam-ahead, one-take anthem, while the closer, “Beauty Bar,” dials it back and finds Rezende questioning her place in a world of girl-boss professionalism.

While Greedy & Gorgeous fits within the broader Australian music scene, with clear references to “dolewave pop” (as Canberran music figure Aaron Crowe puts it), Olivia’s World still manages to break the mold. Their ongoing love for vintage sentiment is evident, with influences ranging from Olympia to Hatfield, but their journey through modern life’s obstacles is distinctly their own. Greedy & Gorgeous is a bold declaration of vital self-discovery, embracing the bold, the bad, and the beautiful.