Who knew what latest era would bring? Or even what it would sound like? Would it build off the or the ? or the of her latest re-records? Or its two predecessors in black-and-white covers: the and the ?
香蕉视频直播淭he Tortured Poets Department,香蕉视频直播� here Friday, is an amalgamation of all of the above, reflecting the artist who 香蕉视频直播� at the peak of her powers 香蕉视频直播� has spent the last few years re-recording her life香蕉视频直播檚 work and filtered through synth-pop anthems, breakup ballads, provocative and matured considerations.
In moments, feels like a bloodletting: A cathartic purge after a major heartbreak delivered through an ascendant vocal run, an elegiac verse, or mobile, synthesized productions that underscore the powers of Swift香蕉视频直播檚 storytelling.
And there are surprises. The lead single and opener 香蕉视频直播淔ortnight香蕉视频直播� is 香蕉视频直播�1989香蕉视频直播� grown up 香蕉视频直播� and features . It might seem like a funny pairing, but it香蕉视频直播檚 a long time coming: Since at least 2018, Swift香蕉视频直播檚 fans have known of her love for Malone香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播淏etter Now.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淏ut Daddy I Love Him香蕉视频直播� is the return of country Taylor, in some ways 香蕉视频直播� fairytale songwriting, a full band chorus, a plucky acoustic guitar riff, and a cheeky lyrical reversal: 香蕉视频直播淏ut Daddy I love him / I香蕉视频直播檓 having his baby / No, I香蕉视频直播檓 not / But you should see your faces.香蕉视频直播� (Babies appear on 香蕉视频直播淔lorida!!!香蕉视频直播� and the bonus track 香蕉视频直播淭he Manuscript香蕉视频直播� as well.)
The fictitious 香蕉视频直播淔resh Out The Slammer香蕉视频直播� begins with a really pretty psych guitar tone that disappears beneath wind-blown production; the new wave-adjacent 香蕉视频直播淢y Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys香蕉视频直播� : 香蕉视频直播淚 felt more when we played pretend than with all the Kens / 香蕉视频直播楥ause he took me out of my box.香蕉视频直播�
Even before kicks off her verse in 香蕉视频直播淔lorida!!!,香蕉视频直播� the chorus香蕉视频直播� explosive repetition of the song title hits hard with nostalgic 2010s indie rock, perhaps an alt-universe Swiftian take on Sufjan Stevens香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淚llinois.香蕉视频直播�
As another title states, 香蕉视频直播淪o Long, London,香蕉视频直播� indeed.
It would be a disservice to read Swift香蕉视频直播檚 songs as purely diaristic, but that track 香蕉视频直播� the fifth on this album, which her fans typically peg as the most devastating slot on each album 香蕉视频直播� evokes striking parallels to her relationship with a certain English actor she Place it next to a sleepy love ode like 香蕉视频直播淭he Alchemy,香蕉视频直播� with its references to 香蕉视频直播渢ouchdown香蕉视频直播� and cutting someone 香蕉视频直播渇rom the team香蕉视频直播� and well 香蕉视频直播� .
Revenge is still a pervasive theme. But where the reprisal anthems on 香蕉视频直播淢idnights香蕉视频直播� were vindictive, on 香蕉视频直播淭he Tortured Poets Department,香蕉视频直播� there are new complexities: 香蕉视频直播淲ho香蕉视频直播檚 Afraid of Little Old Me?香蕉视频直播� combines the musical ambitiousness of 香蕉视频直播渆vermore香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渇olklore香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� and adds a resounding bass on the bridge 香蕉视频直播� with sensibilities ripped from the weapons-drawn, obstinate 香蕉视频直播淩eputation.香蕉视频直播� But here, Swift mostly trades victimhood for self-assurance, warts and all.
香蕉视频直播淲ho香蕉视频直播檚 afraid of little old me?香蕉视频直播� she sings. 香蕉视频直播淵ou should be,香蕉视频直播� she responds.
And yet, 香蕉视频直播淭he Smallest Man Who Ever Lived香蕉视频直播� may be her most biting song to date: 香蕉视频直播淵ou didn香蕉视频直播檛 measure up in any measure of a man,香蕉视频直播� she sings atop propulsive piano. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檒l forget you, but I won香蕉视频直播檛 ever forgive,香蕉视频直播� she describes her target, likely the same 香蕉视频直播渢attooed golden retriever,香蕉视频直播� a jejune description, mentioned in the title track.
Missteps are few, found in other mawkish lyrics and songs like 香蕉视频直播淒own Bad香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淕uilty as Sin?香蕉视频直播� that falter when placed next to the album香蕉视频直播檚 more meditative pop moments.
Elsewhere, Swift holds up a mirror to her melodrama and melancholy 香蕉视频直播� she香蕉视频直播檚 crying at the gym, don香蕉视频直播檛 tell her about 香蕉视频直播渟ad,香蕉视频直播� is she allowed to cry? She died inside, she thinks you might want her dead; she thinks she might just die. She listens to the voices that tell her 香蕉视频直播淟ights, camera, bitch, smile / Even when you want to die,香蕉视频直播� as she sings on 香蕉视频直播淚 Can Do It with a Broken Heart,香蕉视频直播� a song about her own performances 香蕉视频直播� onstage and as a public figure.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 miserable and nobody even knows!香蕉视频直播� she laughs at the end of the song before sighing, 香蕉视频直播淭ry and come for my job.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淐lara Bow香蕉视频直播� enters the pantheon of great final tracks on a Swift album. The title refers to the 1920s silent film star who burned fast and bright 香蕉视频直播� an early 香蕉视频直播淚t girl香蕉视频直播� and Hollywood sex symbol subject to vitriolic gossip, a victim of easy, everyday misogyny amplified by celebrity. Once Bow香蕉视频直播檚 harsh Brooklyn accent was heard in the talkies, it was rumored, her career was over.
In life, Bow later attempted suicide and was sent to an asylum 香蕉视频直播� the same institution that appears on 香蕉视频直播淲ho香蕉视频直播檚 Afraid of Little Old Me?香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淐lara Bow香蕉视频直播� works as an allegory and a cautionary tale for Swift, the same way 香蕉视频直播淢abel Normand香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� another tragic silent film star 香蕉视频直播� functioned for the Fleetwood Mac star.
Nicks appears in 香蕉视频直播淐lara Bow,香蕉视频直播� too: 香蕉视频直播淵ou look like Stevie Nicks in 香蕉视频直播�75 / The hair and lips / Crowd goes wild.香蕉视频直播�
Later, Swift turns the camera inward, and the song ends with her singing, 香蕉视频直播淵ou look like Taylor Swift in this light / We香蕉视频直播檙e loving it / You香蕉视频直播檝e got edge / She never did.香蕉视频直播� The album ends there, on what could be read as self-deprecation but stings more like frustrating self-awareness.
Swift sings about a tortured poet, but she is one, too. And isn香蕉视频直播檛 it great that she香蕉视频直播檚 allowed herself the creative license?
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
