While other pop artists have to grab your attention by putting on cowboy cats or trying on new personas their record labels want to convince you are breaking new ground, Taylor Swift has less to prove and is content just being herself. She has herself this is the album she needed to make, which seems to mean getting these songs out of her system so she can move on. They feel like thoughts captured in the transition between "Folklore" and "Midnights". Though it is clear this is the songwriting genius who wrote "1989" and "Reputation" .
The opening track is a wandering melancholic pop that moves with a hushed intensity. At first, listen might be confused for something similar to the space Lana Del Ray occupies. However Swift's take on this melodrama is not pill-induced, or self-deprecating, but almost as if she is processing her past relationship with Joe for a therapist. Though some theories that her sexuality is not what is marketed to the masses will find plenty of fuel when the lines are read between here, Post-Malone's guest spot is kept to a minimum, and he is merely a backup singer.
"My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys" is the first song that feels like it hits like a pop song, as she indulges more introspection and atmosphere on this album. It took a few listens for "So Long London" to click, even then it's a little too minimalist in its arrangement to fully stand next to the bar she has raised for herself. Lyrically it is as strong as her other stuff, and that is one thing this album does highlight she is a tremendous lyricist she is. "But Daddy I Love Him" perfectly balances her reflective side and the dynamic arena-rocking pop that plays to her strengths. If you were to ask me what I want from her in 2024 I would point to " Fresh Out of the Slammer" which is organic enough to cater to my need for real instruments but respects what her vibe is here.
"Florida!" is pretty much a slapper that speaks to the state's mojo. Florence and the Machine contributes more than Post Malone, and is an effective pairing for Swift. "Guilty as Sin?" is Tay Tay doing Tay Tay things the way her fans expect her to, and excelling at it while not feeling stale. She belts it out in her higher register for "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me" where she reflects on her superstardom. "I Can Fix Him I Really Can" took a second listen for its creeping groove to take hold. Swift muses about the part she plays in her less-than-functional relationships here. It's a little darker than what you might expect from her.
"IomI" shows "So Long London" how she really writes a ballad. On the other side of the spectrum, there is more motion on the dance floor with "I Can Do it With a Broken Heart". Though it percolates with futuristic optimism rather than dropping the beat. "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived" feels like it is left over from "Folklore". Supposedly it's about Matt Healy from the 1975. 'the Alchemy" is a superior song, which is supposed to be about Travis Kelce. "Clara Bow" is another reflection on the circles Swift now finds herself in. This will give the Gaylors plenty to work with. It ends with the introspect ballad "the Manuscript" which works well enough but is not the album's strongest song. I will round this up to a 10, as a couple songs are a matter of what I want from her, and some of the more into her feeling at the piano songs, might need time to grow on me. Overall she proves, she is still the best at what she does and offers more depth than any other pop artist out there including Miley can muster. Though Miley would be in 2nd place in this regard.
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