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the tortured poets department album review

April 19, 2024 No Comments

Review? Deep dive? Who knows. Leave it to Taylor Swift dropping another musical masterpiece to bring me out of blogging retirement.

When it comes to Taylor’s lyrics, I love doing a deep dive into the lyrics and possible hidden meanings and allusions within the songs to feel like I fully understand. Just one listen won’t cut it! We’ll start with my early album ranking, after round 5 of a full listen-through. Of course, Taylor dropped an entirely new set of songs around 2am, fully completing the anthology, and it’s difficult to decisively rank 31 songs all at once – but I’ve done my best.

Album Ranking

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?
So Long, London
I Can Do It With A Broken Heart
But Daddy I Love Him
Clara Bow
The Albatross
Florida!!!
The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
loml
The Black Dog
thanK you aIMee
The Bolter
The Prophecy
My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys
I Hate It Here
The Tortured Poet’s Department
The Manuscript
The Alchemy
Peter
Guilty as Sin?
So High School
How Did It End?
Cassandra
i’mgonnagetyouback
I Look In People’s Windows
Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus
I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)
Robin
Fresh Out The Slammer
Fortnight
Down Bad

Fortnight: The opening single isn’t my favorite, but more because the rest of the album ends up overshadowing it so much that it was hard to remember the melody by the end of the album. Part one, that is. I’m excited for the music video release earlier tonight. I think the trailer, as well as the first two lines of the song – I was supposed to be sent away / but they forgot to come and get me are a clear callback to Hits Different – is that your key in the door? is it okay? is it you? or have they come to take me away? The idea of being locked away not of one’s accord seems to be a recurring theme throughout the album, akin to being held captive – perhaps in a back-and-forth, will-he-won’t-he relationship.

The Tortured Poets Department: The album’s titular track was a clear clue tying back to her relationship with Matty Healy. If you were on tumblr around 2014, you know – if you weren’t, I still think many women can relate to being in love with the idea of someone rather than the actual relationship. But who am I to say – we only see as much as Taylor allows us to, and I’m a firm believer she loves embellishing prose in her songs. I love the slight mockery in this song, with I laughed in your face and said “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith / this ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots. Patti Smith has spoken up for Taylor before, and I’d be curious to know her thoughts on this song.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys: Welcome back, Tennis Court by Lorde’s beat! My favorite part here is the bridge – once I fix me / he’s gonna miss me. Even Taylor Swift dreams of the ‘I won the breakup’ satisfaction – girl, you’re Taylor Swift, don’t you know that already?

Down Bad: It’s at the bottom of my list for a reason! Not to say that I hate it – this album truly has no skips for me. She calls back to New Romantics here – Please take me dancing / Please leave me stranded / it’s so romantic with the bridge – How dare you think it’s romantic / leaving me safe and stranded. No longer cool to be left alone!

So Long, London: This track blew me away. Of course it’s track 5! The intro reminds me a lot of Call It What You Want fromthe reputation album. Her voice is reminiscent of Lana Del Rey here, and the fast pace and consistent drum beat reminded me of You’re Losing Me from the Midnights Til Dawn album. I stopped CPR, after all it’s no use had my jaw drop when I first heard it, an obvious callback to You’re Losing Me’s Stop, you’re losing me / I can’t find a pulse / my heart won’t start anymore for you. Her own heartbeat is credited on You’re Losing Me as well as the song being the exact BPM you’d use for CPR. The drama in this track, referencing an ex-lover ruining her favorite place they had together, has tones of anger and resignment all at once.

But Daddy I Love Him: We’ll get the important part out of the way – she said my name! Not in the best context, but a win is a win! The storytelling in this song reminds me of Love Story – and now that I think about it, there’s a lot of songs on the first part of the anthology that reminds me of Fearless. My favorite lyric – sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I’ll never see so perfectly sums up celebrity culture in that everyone holds their opinion and loves to share, but she’ll never see it, so bless their heart (God save the most judgmental creeps). This is a song that points to multiple relationships, but I do think it comes full circle to Travis Kelce at the end – welcome to the Taylor Swift discography, Trav!

Fresh Out The Slammer: One of the verses – my friends tried, but I wouldn’t hear it – is again, another relatable lyric that made me laugh. Wearing imaginary rings feels like a callback to Lover’s Paper Rings to me as well.

Florida!!!: I love Florence + the Machine, so I was very excited for this collaboration – and it was everything I could have wanted. In an iHeartRadio interview, Taylor talks about Florida being a place to escape and skip town – a theme you could definitely see in the song, but she obviously didn’t mention the rumors of her relationship with Joe supposedly ending while on tour in Florida. In the line Little did you know your home’s really only / a town you’re just a guest in, I feel like she describes the feeling of returning home to a place that doesn’t feel like yours anymore – especially if the person there is detached as well.

Guilty as Sin?: This song feels like she’s trying to convince herself the relationship really was all that she had it chalked up to be in her mind – or was it? Am I allowed to cry? Is she allowed to mourn something that wasn’t truly good for her in the first place? When she makes the Jesus comparison in the bridge, ultimately ending with I choose you and me religiously, I feel like it’s a callback to False God from Lover.

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?: Immediately I felt a connection to the song Willow off of evermore, from the opening line, the muted guitar plucking, the building chords, etc. I love the yell in the choruses, and the bridge takes the cake for me in this song. That I’m fearsome and wretched and I’m wrong / put narcotics into all my songs / and that’s why you’re still singing along ?! You’re kidding me! The rise of her fame was exponential this past year, with the Eras Tour, the movie, the multiple re-records, her introduction to the NFL crowd – and I love her message within this song. You can say what you want, but at the end of the day, you still know and sing along to my hits.

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can): Let him go girl! I really like the sound within this song, reminding me of an old Western soundtrack especially with the overlapping reverb. Ultimately it didn’t stand out to me – but again – no skips on the album, so I’ll happily listen.

loml: Another Fearless-esque track, the cadence of the chorus called me back to White Horse immediately. The lyrics in this track tell me a complete story, but instead of taking a folkore-style spin (allegedly fictional), this album feels very clear it’s about all her own experiences within the heartbreak of a relationship. We get hit with a total sucker punch at the end, expecting loml to be ‘love of my life’ – but instead, loss of my life.

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart: Everyone (understandably) calls this back to Bejeweled, and I think thematically it certainly aligns – but the beat is so sonically Mastermind to me. Of course it’s track 13, all about how she can pull off the magnitude of a tour like the Eras Tour – even when her world is seemingly breaking down. I loved the humor in this one, how she doesn’t take herself so seriously. The laughing with Try and come for my job at the end is the perfect endcap to the song.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived: Maybe one of Taylor’s angriest songs yet? The barrage of point-blank questions littered throughout the song, heightened by the bridge and the building strings, emphasize her frustration with the subject in question. And I’ll forget you / but I’ll never forgive – if there’s one thing Taylor loves, it’s holding a grudge, and I love her for that.

The Alchemy: I did not expect an entire Travis Kelce love song on this album – but here it is! As a Kansas Citian, the idea of her dating a Chiefs player in KC is still the funniest thing to me and I still can’t wrap my head around it sometimes. The random football references littered through – while still eloquent, as only she can do – are too good. Where’s the trophy / he just comes running over to me – thank you, Kansas City 2024 Super Bowl Champs!

Clara Bow: Long Live, but make it a cautionary tale? She starts by referencing a singer looking like Clara Bow, an old Hollywood starlet who eventually suffered from mental illness, influenced from scrutiny from the media and overexposure. Stevie Nicks wrote a poem for the front of the album, and she’s referenced in the middle of the song here. Taylor was often compared to Stevie around the Speak Now/Red era on the rise of her career. The ending of the song – You look like Taylor Swift / in this light we’re loving it feels like a comforting ode to the next generation of stars, a reminder from Nothing New.

Overall, this album stood out to me from the first listen and I need to listen to part two of the anthology and dissect it more in order to do a full review justice. Can’t wait to listen to this 30000 more times!

music

evermore album review

December 15, 2020 No Comments

When I first listened to Taylor Swift’s newest album, evermore, I knew I had to write an (entirely unsolicited) review of it to truly experience the album as a whole. Evermore is meant to be the fall/winter to folklore‘s spring/summer and the two contrast each other nicely. I listened to it twice the night it came out and at least six times through the day after, and now that it’s five days later I truly feel like I have a grasp on the album. I’m organizing this review song by song, including my favorite lyrics from each.

Ever since I was 13, I’ve been excited about turning 31 because it’s my lucky number backwards, which is why I wanted to surprise you with this now. You’ve all been so caring, supportive and thoughtful on my birthdays and so this time I thought I...

willow: I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The flow of the song was really strong, the continuing riff was a good upbeat opener and I really liked the music video. It’s a great first impression to the album (though I knew I’d love it already as the sister album to folklore)!

favorite lyric: like you were a trophy or a champion ring / and there was one prize I’d cheat to win

champagne problems: SO good! Another example of immaculate storytelling from Ms. Swift. This song is about two college sweethearts and one unexpectedly turning down a proposal just before Christmas. This is another classic recurring chord progression of Taylor’s too, so it’s easy to transition with other songs of hers (hello, All Too Well, Cornelia Street and Out Of The Woods).

favorite lyrics: this dorm was once a madhouse / I made a joke, “well, it’s meant for me”

gold rush: The intro instantly reminded me of mirrorball from folklore. It ended somewhat abruptly, with no fade from the lyrics, which was a little jarring. I saw a theory that this was written from Joe Alwyn (her boyfriend’s) perspective about dating Taylor, about how it’s difficult to adapt to being in the spotlight, and I like that theory!

favorite lyric: call you out on your contrarian shit

’tis the damn season: This song is about getting out of your hometown and returning for the holidays, and returning to old relationships out of familiarity as well. I couldn’t quite relate to this one personally, but I like how transparent the story is here. The guitar is really strong and I love the recurring theme throughout the album how this is part of Dorothea’s story.

favorite lyric: to leave the warmest bed I’ve ever known

tolerate it: This one is about trying to prove something and trying your hardest just for someone who doesn’t pay attention to your efforts. I really love the piano backing here, it feels like a piece by Phillip Glass. The lyrics here are some of my favorites throughout the whole album.

favorite lyric: use my best colors for your portrait

no body, no crime (feat. Haim): The storytelling in this one is incredible!! My friend Hannah summed it up perfectly as a ‘chill Goodbye Earl,’ and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Taylor was influenced by the Dixie Chicks for this track. I loved the twist at the end here about covering up the crime. My one complaint with this song – I wish it featured more vocals from Haim. It would have been really interesting to make this a two-perspective song, with verses from Taylor and verses from Este.

favorite lyric: I’ve cleaned enough houses to know how to cover up a scene

happiness: This one is one of those songs that you wish you’d been through a deep breakup just to experience Taylor’s album fully (which sounds crazy, but you’d understand as a Taylor Swift fan!). It acknowledges how two people can hurt each other but even with a rough breakup, there was still happy moments – something not often touched on in breakup songs. The crescendo through the middle here and the strings build up really nicely through simple repetition.

favorite lyric: all you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness

dorothea: No Taylor album is complete without prime storytelling! This tells the story from a different perspective, from an old lover, but I also like listening to it from the perspective of friends that have grown apart.

favorite lyric: you got shiny friends since you left town

coney island (feat. The National): Another one about a loss of a relationship, told from both perspectives as The National chimes in on this track. Her voice combines so well with Matt Berninger and the back and forth exchange here works so well, especially once they blend together. This bridge builds so nicely and while I wouldn’t classify as one of Taylor’s most iconic bridges, it shows off her true talent as a musician.

favorite lyric: did I paint your bluest skies the darkest gray

ivy: One of my top three! This is another one I can’t personally relate to (about an affair) but tells a great story and the imagery in this song is really vivid. The chorus resonates really strongly and it’s a little reminiscent of Betty for me. This stuck out to me immediately on my first listen of the album, both musically and lyrically.

favorite lyric: I don’t just sit here and wait / grieving for the living

cowboy like me: This is my least favorite song from the album (maybe even from evermore and folklore combined). It’s reminiscent of her early work, which I appreciate, but overall reads more like a slow ballad.

favorite lyric: forever is the sweetest con

long story short: This song grew on me! This one feels like it’s about her critics and the past drama that people had tried to put blame on her for, like she’s talking to her past self and saying she’ll come out stronger through it. It’s one of the more upbeat tracks and the pacing is really nice, kind of reminds me of the last great american dynasty!

favorite lyric: our nemeses will defeat themselves before they get the chance to swing

marjorie: This made me cry on the first listen – and the second, and the third. I am not a crier in general, especially with songs, (peace made me cry at a first listen with folklore, for entirely different reasons) but going in with the perspective of this being about her grandmother really made me take a second. It perfectly describes what it’s like to lose a grandparent and is written so well. ‘What died didn’t stay dead’ felt like a somewhat simplistic lyric that I originally wasn’t a huge fan of, but nothing else feels right in its place. This bridge is so well done and the crescendoes here really hit hard. Every single lyric here is so on the nose to the situation.

favorite lyric: ’cause every scrap of you would be taken from me

closure: If there’s a song I absolutely did not like on first impressions alone, it’s this. It felt jarring compared to the rest of the album and the synth sounds almost hurt my brain, and it felt as if she was singing too quickly. It seemed rushed and didn’t flow with the rest of the tracks. On second listen, I really love the lyrics and I think it’d be great as an acoustic version. It’s a strong song about how the narrator doesn’t need the closure from an ex that they’re trying to give, as if they’ve already moved on. I understand the choice behind the chaotic background track, but it makes me want to grit my teeth while listening.

favorite lyric: I know I’m just a wrinkle in your new life / staying friends would iron it out so nice

evermore: My favorite of the two Bon Iver collaborations! This song feels like redemption – from being in a dark place to slowly seeing the light and feeling hope again. Some could see it as being about a relationship, or about mental health. Once Bon Iver comes in and the piano picks up, it feels like the part in a struggle with mental health pulling yourself out of a hole, and then it clears up again, symbolizing hope again.

favorite lyric: I rewind the tape but all it does is pause

RANKINGS

Marjorie
Ivy
Coney Island
Champagne Problems
Willow
Long Story Short
’Tis The Damn Season
No Body No Crime
Evermore
Happiness
Gold Rush
Tolerate it
Closure
Dorothea
Cowboy Like Me

This was INCREDIBLY difficult to rank and it might change a bit over time. I truly can’t pick one or the other over folklore – the best way to listen to this album, in my opinion, is back and forth with folklore as they pair so well together. Overall, I’m continually impressed by Taylor’s work and think she has a song for everyone. Even if you’ve never listened intentionally to her songs before, this is 100% worth a listen.

Also worth noting: I’m sure some of this was written on her trip to Utah in September, which makes it extra special! (Only slightly painful knowing she was 20 minutes away from me at a point in time and I had no idea…)

school

Thursday Threes

November 5, 2015 1 Comment

I’ve been way absent from posting on here lately, partly because college life has been so full of activities and partly because I haven’t been putting it as a main priority. However, I love writing and want to put this blog back in the forefront of my life!

If you’ve been following along on my Instagram you can see all that I’ve been up to lately. In August, I went through recruitment at the University of Kansas and I’m now an Alpha Delta Pi and loving it! The best part about being an ADPi is being able to feel comfortable with all my sisters and at my house.

One: Back in September, I went to Late Night with my sisters from ADPi. Late Night at KU is a pep rally for basketball season and this video showcases how big of a deal basketball is at my school. The picture below is me and my roommate Jordan (and best friend since fourth grade), who’s also in ADPi.

Two: The Ellen Show came to campus! As a long time fan of Ellen this was so cool to be on her show. The Royals (KC’s baseball team!) made it to the World Series for the second year in a row and our fans are incredible, so Ellen chose to send Jeannie and her team to KU for a competition to win tickets to the World Series Game One. You can watch the video here, and if you look each time the camera swings over the crowd you can see my sign. My friends and I had a running joke after this that it’ll be easier for us to get on the Ellen show than to ever go see the Ellen show. You can see me in the picture if you look to the left of the kid in the crown.

Tuesday Threes — from left to right: Jordan, my roommate, Jeannie from Ellen, me, and Jayden, who’s also in ADPi

Three: Halloween meant the end of a very long homecoming at KU. Homecoming is full of different events to celebrate KU’s tradition and my sorority paired with another fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, to create a float, a banner, a mural, and participate in several different other competitions. We ended up getting second place and it was worth it. I dressed as Taylor Swift (an easy go-to costume for me) and went out with a few of my friends.

Thanks for reading!