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We take a break from Gothtober's regularly scheduled programming to cover the new Taylor Swift album, because well, this is my blog and I do what I want to do. There was no lead single released leading up to the album, so fearless Swifties are relying on her reputation to maintain her momentum. I can see how the group think of today's public perception could switch on her as angsty pop breakup songs coming from a billionaire might sour the sensibilities of the very people who took her up as a feminist champion when the other side was complaining about her being on the sports ball games, but I think she is smart enough to not care about the fickle masses and is just going to do here thing, so let me press play and speak now about what really matters the music.
First things first, this is not a concept album as the teasers for the album were pointing to. She starts things off with a slinky pop beat on "The Fate of Ophelia". Maybe it's going to inspire teenagers to put down Tiktok, and read "Hamlet". My first thought is that she has been keeping closer to the radio trends, which is a little redundant since the producers are cranking out artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter have been trying to replicate Taylor's sound, so it's kinda like when Toni Iommi started trying to write Alice In Chains sounding riffs when Alice in Chains would not exist without Black Sabbath.
"Elizabeth Taylor" hits from a more authentic place and is lyrically pretty brilliant as she sings in character while making a comment about what her actual life is like at the top of the game. There is a more organic feel to "Opalite". Slight tinge of pop country guitar on the chorus. Her harmonies are immaculate in places, so she has ingested Beach Boys albums at some point. "Father Figure" is not a George Michael cover. But it hits pretty hard in terms of what she does, though I think some of the commentary worked in could get criticized as being "woke" if you want to hear that way, though her reference to her dick being bigger could be a clue for the Reddit "Gaylor" cult. I think the song is her middle finger to the music industry, and is referencing her re-recording her albums.
"Eldest Daughter" starts with the best line of the year: "Everyone's so punk on the internet." She then unpacks a social commentary that goes harder than the lyrics of Agnostic Front's entire new album. I had to listen to "Ruin the Friendship" a few times for it to click. The arrangement moves kinda like a Kacey Musgraves song, someone is playing a bass plugged into an amp on it, rather than just being pulled from a Digital Audio Workstation. The guitar going into "Actually Romantic" winks back in the direction of the "RED" era. Though I am not sure the song is really about Travis, as it feels more full of clues for the Gaylors.
"Wi$h Li$t" is one of the more interesting songs. It further solidifies this album as her best work lyrically, as it's a commentary on who she is now, surrounded by, and the life she could have had. "Wood" starts off funky and familiar, like it's her take on the Jackson Five. Her vocals do what she does and fall solidly in her wheelhouse. "CANCELLED!" is an unexpected commentary that finds her admitting to having an underworld where it gets quite dark, and further proves my theory that she is in a place where she no longer has to give a fuck. She wisely states If you can't be good to be better at it.
"Honey" is typical pop-Taylor gets the job done. You hear a bit of her country roots on the title track that closes the album. Sabrina Carpenter guest stars on the song and takes the second verse, though it sounds like it was intended for Kacey Musgraves. I will give this one a 10. There are a couple of songs that might have to grow on me, but the overall album is balanced out by the strongest songs, which are instant Taylor classics, thanks to her continued growth lyrically
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