***ALBUM OF THE MONTH | October 2022***
Taylor Swift
Midnights
Republic
Buy via Official Store | Listen Below
Taylor Swift has been one of the most prolific artists of the COVID-19 pandemic. Releasing two full-length folk albums in 2020, folklore and evermore, in addition to re-recording much of her early music catalog, Swift has only further cemented her position in music history as a songwriting juggernaut.
The 2010s launched Swift’s Reputation-era, and since then, she has been able to deftly toggle back and forth between bright pop and eloquent folk. Though not a total reinvention, Midnights signals a new chapter for Swift, one more self-confident, but still authentic to the artist and her origins.
Regardless of the genre she is working within, Swift’s songwriting style remains consistent. She is a storyteller, creating worlds and characters to offer obscured glances into her own life. Before hearing Midnights, one could embrace the thesis that Swift’s songwriting is a more natural match for the folk or country worlds. She has an earnest, open quality, no metaphor too well-trodden. This sunny disposition works well in country or folk.
But in pop music, where one of the best tracks of the past decade is named “Vroom Vroom,” a sense of humor is non-negotiable. Swift does this two ways—through her tough chick, leather jacket and cigarettes persona and her vulnerable, anxious “quirky girl” act. Songs like “Maroon” and “Vigilante Shit” are the former brand of moody anthems, while “Anti-Hero” and “Karma” give us a more reflective Swift, relatable and insecure.
Production-wise, Swift uses her classic formula of Jack Antonoff and friends. There are familiar bits that Swifties will find reminiscent of Reputation (2017) and Lover (2019), but there are also some truly surprising and unique moments as well. “Lavender Haze” and “Labyrinth” have a modern, DJ Koze-style sound, while “Sweet Nothing” is a charming, FM synth ditty with strong ‘70s vibes. The album is light on collaborators, an unusual move for Swift, with just a whiff of Lana Del Rey on the album’s weakest track, “Snow on the Beach.”
However, it’s refreshing to be presented with so much pure, unabashed Taylor. Overall, it’s fun to see Swift trying on new styles, but at times, Midnights can make one wish she’d finally go all the way and adopt a totally new sound.
If nothing else, Midnights shows that Swift still has a lot to say. In a world where fame at a young age can be a recipe for disaster, she has navigated the industry deftly, not a child of reinvention, like Madonna or Beyoncé, but as an artist deeply rooted in her own style and mythology. It’s a small club of people (David Bowie and Nick Cave come to mind), who were famous musicians in their youth, but continued to create art throughout their lives, with exponentially expanding impact. Midnights is an effervescent addition to Swift’s canon, an intimate glimpse and continuation of her story.
Notable Tracks: “Anti-Hero” | “Karma” | “Lavender Haze”
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