Taylor Swift

[KevShmev]

(first listen I wasn't too impressed - but with the second it's starting to grow. Is it me, though, or the lyrics are not generally among her best...?)

To bring this over from the "what are you listening to?" thread, I am still trying wrap my head around the lyrics, but there are many gems on here.

I think a few of the curse words are a bit gratuitous (I dislike her use of the word "dickhead" so much in Question...? that I got the clean version and inserted that into my running order of the album), but overall she is on top of her lyrical game as usual.  "I regret you all the time" in Would've, Could've, Should've is likely to hold up as one of her most devastating singular lines ever.

[KevShmev]

One more thing: for now, Lavender Haze and Vigilante Shit are largely falling flat for me so far.  The latter seems to be her mainly sing-talking some revenge stuff over one of the most uninteresting rhythms on the album. Fortunately, the middle finger songs on this album seem to be a small number.

[Zook]

Does the edited version have a different line or do they still just silence the word? Also think her swearing is kinda cringy. That's how I feel about swearing in pop music in general though. It never sounds genuine.

[nobloodyname]

Listening now for the second time. What struck me last night, and again now, is how much it does feel like, well, midnight music. Very well-named album.

I'm appreciative of its shorter length since even her best albums had a tendency to be slightly too long. Edit: I've just found out there's another edition with a few more tracks which it'd take it to 69 minutes. Oops.

Additional edit: Vigilante Shit is a standout for me on second listen.

[KevShmev]

Does the edited version have a different line or do they still just silence the word? Also think her swearing is kinda cringy. That's how I feel about swearing in pop music in general though. It never sounds genuine.

No, they have different lyrics.  The "dickhead guy" line in Question...? is "meathead guy" in the clean version, and the "fucking politics and gender roles" is "caught in politics and gender roles" in the same song. 

Listening now for the second time. What struck me last night, and again now, is how much it does feel like, well, midnight music. Very well-named album.

I'm appreciative of its shorter length since even her best albums had a tendency to be slightly too long. Edit: I've just found out there's another edition with a few more tracks which it'd take it to 69 minutes. Oops.

Additional edit: Vigilante Shit is a standout for me on second listen.

That's the deluxe edition with the bonus 7 tracks, which feels essential, as some of those are the best on the entire record.

[MirrorMask]

Heard it all. The impression remains, the folklore / evermore songwriting and clever lyrics with a lot of poppish make up.

The songs I enjoyed the most are Maroon, Anti-Hero, Vigilante Shit and Mastermind. From the bonus tracks, Bigger than the Whole Sky and Woulda Coulda Shoulda (Hello Flying Colors crossover  ) are very nice as well.

Lavender Haze and Bejeweled seem to be the most vapid and lalala ones, even though the latter has a nice bridge. I expected more from the Lana Del Rey song, she's barely there.

[KevShmev]

Heard it all. The impression remains, the folklore / evermore songwriting and clever lyrics with a lot of poppish make up.

The songs I enjoyed the most are Maroon, Anti-Hero, Vigilante Shit and Mastermind. From the bonus tracks, Bigger than the Whole Sky and Woulda Coulda Shoulda (Hello Flying Colors crossover  ) are very nice as well.

Lavender Haze and Bejeweled seem to be the most vapid and lalala ones, even though the latter has a nice bridge. I expected more from the Lana Del Rey song, she's barely there.

She's actually there a lot.  It feels at first like she's not really there since she didn't get her own verse, but her voice is all over that song.  The way her voice meshes with Taylor's lower register is glorious.

[MirrorMask]

Guess I'll have to hear it better or with headphones then!

One of the bonus tracks, Would've Could've Should've, has an absolutely stellar bridge, very raw and emotional:

If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first

I know I sound like a broken record but I wonder how passionate and impactful it would sound with a grand piano and maybe some strings.

On the other hand, I'd like a dark funky rock cover of Vigilante Shit, that song screams for a killer bass line, and some distorted guitars marking some of the lyrics 

[hefdaddy42]

I gave this a listen this morning.

I don't know.  I didn't care for it that much.  If anything, it feels like a regression from folklore and evermore, IMO.  I mean, it's fine, but nowhere near as interesting for me as those albums were.  To me, those felt like "Taylor Swift growing up" and this one feels like a step backwards.

Just my two cents.

[emtee]

I gave it a spin with an open mind but it doesn't connect with me. Maybe with multiple spins it would but I'm not sure I want to invest the time.

[KevShmev]

Guess I'll have to hear it better or with headphones then!

One of the bonus tracks, Would've Could've Should've, has an absolutely stellar bridge, very raw and emotional:

If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first

I know I sound like a broken record but I wonder how passionate and impactful it would sound with a grand piano and maybe some strings.

On the other hand, I'd like a dark funky rock cover of Vigilante Shit, that song screams for a killer bass line, and some distorted guitars marking some of the lyrics 

You want raw and emotional?  Listen to Bigger Than the Whole Sky.  That song is a gut punch if you are grieving the loss of anyone, whether it be a husband or wife, a parent or a child.  As someone who lost his mother in February this year, it really hits home.

[MirrorMask]

Yeah, Bigger than the Whole Sky is surely among the best of the bunch. Weird that it's a bonus track.

[KevShmev]

Nice appearance on The Tonight Show last night.  Announcement of a tour could land at any time now.

[Stadler]

Guess I'll have to hear it better or with headphones then!

One of the bonus tracks, Would've Could've Should've, has an absolutely stellar bridge, very raw and emotional:

If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first

I know I sound like a broken record but I wonder how passionate and impactful it would sound with a grand piano and maybe some strings.

On the other hand, I'd like a dark funky rock cover of Vigilante Shit, that song screams for a killer bass line, and some distorted guitars marking some of the lyrics 

You want raw and emotional?  Listen to Bigger Than the Whole Sky.  That song is a gut punch if you are grieving the loss of anyone, whether it be a husband or wife, a parent or a child.  As someone who lost his mother in February this year, it really hits home.

Wonderful; now I have to listen to this. 

[KevShmev]

Guess I'll have to hear it better or with headphones then!

One of the bonus tracks, Would've Could've Should've, has an absolutely stellar bridge, very raw and emotional:

If clarity's in death, then why won't this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first

I know I sound like a broken record but I wonder how passionate and impactful it would sound with a grand piano and maybe some strings.

On the other hand, I'd like a dark funky rock cover of Vigilante Shit, that song screams for a killer bass line, and some distorted guitars marking some of the lyrics 

You want raw and emotional?  Listen to Bigger Than the Whole Sky.  That song is a gut punch if you are grieving the loss of anyone, whether it be a husband or wife, a parent or a child.  As someone who lost his mother in February this year, it really hits home.

Wonderful; now I have to listen to this. 

Please do and report back. 

[Zook]

Snow on the Beach and something like You're Gonna Go Far Kid (that's an Offspring song but similar title I think, can't be bothered to Google it at the moment) are alright. Vigilante Shit is... Not well. Sounds like it came from Reputation.

[MirrorMask]

As I said I like Vigilante Shit, but - leaving aside my dream of having it a full rocking song with distorted guitars marking some beats - I think it should have been more haunting and overwhelming with the rhytm and music growing stronger throughout the song.

It has the same style and same music pattern for the entire song, if it was a big crescendo with the music becoming bigger and more complex it would have helped the mood of the song.

[HOF]

Been listening to this all week driving my daughter places. I’ve generally enjoyed it, might prefer it to 1989. I get a little worn out by the subject matter, but the lyrics are clever and I enjoy the general sound and production. I appreciate the 80s synth pop stylings. M

What’s funny is the one song that I really like, Sweet Nothing, is the one she wants to skip.

[hefdaddy42]

I also listened to Carly Rae Jepsen's new album this week, and I feel that it does what this album is doing, but better.  I mean, tastes and all, but that's just my two cents.

[goo-goo]

I'm hooked with the song Karma. Great hooks, melodies, love the synth work and the delivery of the song is pretty much awesome.

I have to check Carly Rae, never heard of her.

[HOF]

I have to check Carly Rae, never heard of her.

This is crazy!

[goo-goo]

I have to check Carly Rae, never heard of her.

This is crazy!

LOL

Is she really famous or something? Honestly, I haven't heard of her. What's THE song you would recommend to check her out? I'll be checking Hef's recommendation on her new album.

[HOF]

I have to check Carly Rae, never heard of her.

This is crazy!

LOL

Is she really famous or something? Honestly, I haven't heard of her. What's THE song you would recommend to check her out? I'll be checking Hef's recommendation on her new album.

I was just making a play on a line from her hit song (if she has more than this I'm unaware of them):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHx--ZtG_Ds

[DoctorAction]

I also listened to Carly Rae Jepsen's new album this week, and I feel that it does what this album is doing, but better.  I mean, tastes and all, but that's just my two cents.

Also new to me but enjoying the few tracks I've heard so far following this comment. Thanks.

[Zook]

I have to check Carly Rae, never heard of her.

This is crazy!

LOL

Is she really famous or something? Honestly, I haven't heard of her. What's THE song you would recommend to check her out? I'll be checking Hef's recommendation on her new album.

If you've never heard Call Me Maybe before then you need to tell us which hole you're hiding in. It might be the key to our survival when the nukes go off.

[KevShmev]

How is this for a great little surprise:

At the Bon Iver concert tonight in London, Taylor showed up out of nowhere and they did Exile (from Folklore).  Aaron Dessner was there too of course.  Nice little moment, as the song gets its first live performance the right way, with Taylor, Justin Vernon and Dessner all there to perform it.

[DoctorAction]

I wonder if that means she'll be on Graham Norton's chat show this week for promo...

[KevShmev]

I wonder if that means she'll be on Graham Norton's chat show this week for promo...

Yep, she is on tomorrow. That was announced a few weeks ago that she'd be on his show on the 28th.

[DoctorAction]

Ah, cool. I'll watch that, then. 

[hefdaddy42]

How is this for a great little surprise:

At the Bon Iver concert tonight in London, Taylor showed up out of nowhere and they did Exile (from Folklore).  Aaron Dessner was there too of course.  Nice little moment, as the song gets its first live performance the right way, with Taylor, Justin Vernon and Dessner all there to perform it.

That's cool.

[KevShmev]

Two thoughts on the below picture...

1) A very nice touch in having the picture of her grandma, Marjorie, on the wall to the left of the shower.  As we know, the song Marjorie on Evermore was about that very grandmother.

2) Look at how ginormous that step up is to get into the shower (and the step down with wet feet).  Even for someone with super long legs like Taylor, that seems kinda dangerous.

[DragonAttack]

There's a picture on a wall, and a shower in the room?

I had the exact same set up in my first house....that shower/tub also had a 'grab bar' next to the nozzle, so not as dangerous as first appearances.

And we just replaced two sinks exactly the same as the one pictured there with vanities.  That was the style of the 50s.......

[Stadler]

Picture?

Her outfit on the left is to what I was referring when I mentioned the video sneak peak on Amazon Prime Video. 

[TAC]

Just watched Cyril's review on youtube, and based on the song samples...yeah, I don't get it.

The Bigger Than The Whole Sky sample sounded interesting.

[KevShmev]

With all due respect, Tim, given you are strictly a hard rock and metal guy, I wouldn't expect you to like any of her music, especially the material that is more pop-driven.  You are literally the last person on this forum I would expect to like her music.   And I really do mean that in the nicest way possible.