Taylor Swift

[The Curious Orange]

The Eras tour FINALLY comes to Europe from May through to August. It seems very odd to release a new album during an ongoing tour. if she adds new songs from Tortured Poets to the set, fans will be upset at the songs she has to drop to make way for them. But if not, they'll be disappointed that she hasn't.

[DoctorAction]

I watched the first 20 mins or so of eras.. Definitely impressive. She is one hell of a presence and performer. I mean, ONE person in the centre of all that. Amazing.

I'm not sure I can watch it all in one go but will probably end up watching it all bit by bit over the next little while.

[The Realm]

I watched the Eras Tour on Disney+ (didn't see the concert live but my daughters did). I thought it was great. Not sure if it is because I'm a 'heavy metal' guy at heart but my favourite song was Look What You Made Me Do, a track I didn't previously care for but the heavier more rock arrangement of this song really appealed to me. At the other end of the scale some of the quieter more emotional tracks like Tolerate It were also great.

[Zook]

This fucking woman just made a billion dollars on her Eras tour, and she's going to pull this shit again with her new album where you have to buy multiple copies to get all the content? 3 different Target exclusives with different bonus tracks. Before those three songs would have been all included on the exclusive. Oh but each version has a different poster too. Fuck off. I am not buying 3 copies of this for my wife. I'm at the point where I never want to hear Taylor Swift again for the rest of my life. There's no parental advisory sticker. Maybe there won't be any cringy gratuitous out of place edgelord swearing on this one.

Has there even been a single released yet? I bet it sounds like Taylor Swift. Who knows, maybe this one will be good. There's a bit of a pattern going on.

Reputation, Lover - crap
Folklore, Evermore - pretty good
Midnights - meh
Dead Poets Society - decent?

Although, an album called Tortured Poets Department could have the cringiest lyrics she's ever written.

Sorry, rant over.

[Zantera]

Setting aside the fact I find her music mediocre at best, I fully agree on the argument against all the vinyl exclusives. Whether you love her or dislike her it's nothing more than a shameless cash grab.

[Stadler]

Here's an option: don't buy it. I mean, I say that to be funny, but it's kind of true.  It wouldn't happen if people didn't want it.  There are people here that have Mike's underwear after the Prague gig in '97 or some equally obscure thing; that's what collectors do. I mean, I do feel bad for the completists - I hate when I have to get eight different CDs to get the material - but that's me, I'm not the target audience.

I feel the same way about the Rush releases with the vinyl that I'm not interested in and live shows that seem cobbled together.  And the Ozzy releases that arbitrarily cut songs out or were otherwise incomplete (there is still stuff from EPs/12" Singles during the Randy era that are hard or impossible to find). 

[HOF]

Well, the track Guilty as Sin references The Blue Nile’s “The Downtown Lights,” so that’s pretty awesome.

[MirrorMask]

So it seems that The Tortured Poets Department is secretly a double album 

EDIT: so basically the second album is a collection of all the single bonus tracks, plus other tracks that were so far hidden. I can't help but join the complaints about the different editions then; it's kinda exploitative to make different editions with a single, different song as bonus track, and have all of them together anyway on the double album version.

For  better reference: it's like Dream Theater in the Black Clouds era would have made different versions of the album available for pre-order each with a different, stand alone cover (the "Stargazer edition", the "Queen edition" etc...) only to reveal upon release date that they were all together on a bonus disc anyway.

[nobloodyname]

Well, I'm afraid this new album continues in much the same vein as the last three. It all just blurs into one for me. Musically, these releases just aren't especially interesting. That said, I remain a huge fan of hers and am still gutted I can't attend the Eras tour.

[PMSummer]

Just had my first listen to the new album that dropped today, and man, I hate to say it, but I couldn't even make it through the whole thing. As someone who really enjoyed Folklore and Evermore, I was hoping for that same captivating experience, but this one just felt so dull. All the songs I heard sound like the same uninteresting song.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Man, I really hope this is some kind of joke. This album sounds like a bunch of Midnights b-sides. Talk about laaaaazy :/ I hope her fanbase uses this opportunity to teach her a lesson about releasing clearly below-her-talents-quality music and doesn't buy this thing en masse. She's already a billionaire FFS

[Zantera]

Was gonna give it a fair listen but these reviews aren't really making me excited (also there's about 6-7 other albums dropping today that are on my radar). My dad who is neutral on Taylor Swift and positive towards most music in general said he heard one of her new songs on radio this morning and it sounded like "music you hear in the background of a vacuum cleaner commercial" so he didn't seem overly enthusiastic either. But most bands or artists have a dud or two in their catalogue!

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Was gonna give it a fair listen but these reviews aren't really making me excited (also there's about 6-7 other albums dropping today that are on my radar). My dad who is neutral on Taylor Swift and positive towards most music in general said he heard one of her new songs on radio this morning and it sounded like "music you hear in the background of a vacuum cleaner commercial" so he didn't seem overly enthusiastic either. But most bands or artists have a dud or two in their catalogue!

Yeah all the organic, the the ground early reports I've read or heard have been really poor, but of course that hasn't stopped The Independent, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, and Rolling Stone all from granting it "Instant Classic" status. Talk about a blatant shill 

Seriously though, I sincerely hope the fans stop just thoughtlessly lapping her up. It's getting really cult-like and weird.

[Metro]

I have no interest in anything Taylor Swift, but this new album title is the most laughably pretentious thing I've ever heard.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

My "journey" with TS has been interesting. I became a fan and saw her on the Fearless tour, but as I've alluded to, her behavior, artistic output, and overall vibe have just been cruising downhill without brakes for a few years now and it got to the point where I couldn't even listen to her anymore. Seeing her on the Eras tour felt like a good conclusion to the "money spending" portion of my fandom and I decided from that point to just listen to her new stuff without any further commitment, but this new album is just so laughably bad I had to speak up.

[MirrorMask]

For me it was way simpler:

- Barely aware of the fact that there was a singer named Taylor Swift existed
- Wondered why the hell there was an active topic about her here
- Fell in love madly with Folklore and Evemore
- Hoped Midnights would be in the same vein
- Hoped the new album would be in the same vein
- Hoping 'til the end of time any other new album would be in the same vein, enjoying some songs here and there from her catalogue, especially rock or acoustic remixes

The Eras Tour however is an amazing and monumental show.

[Zantera]

Seriously though, I sincerely hope the fans stop just thoughtlessly lapping her up. It's getting really cult-like and weird.

This is what gets me but I know Taylor Swift is far from the only artist this applies to. But it is perfectly reasonable and normal as a fan to not say every release is a 10/10 masterpiece.

[HOF]

I thought Midnights was one of her stronger albums actually. Haven’t heard this yet (beyond the song which references The Blue Nile, who are awesome).

[Stadler]

I have no interest in anything Taylor Swift, but this new album title is the most laughably pretentious thing I've ever heard.

"Tales from Topographic Oceans".    "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway".   "Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Works, Vol. 1".   

[kaos2900]

"Tales from Topographic Oceans".    "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway".   "Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Works, Vol. 1".   

Also, the title is not in reference to her as a writer. It's a reference/nod to the person the song is about. She is way more complex and has a lot of nuggets that most DT fans could appreciate even if you don't like the music.

[Lonk]

I have no interest in anything Taylor Swift, but this new album title is the most laughably pretentious thing I've ever heard.

Wait until you read the song titles.

I'm still going to give this album a fair listen when I get the chance, but given the reviews by people who seem to enjoy her music, I am expecting to hate it.

[Stadler]

I thought Midnights was one of her stronger albums actually. Haven’t heard this yet (beyond the song which references The Blue Nile, who are awesome).

If you liked Midnights - as I did - you will like this.  It is a lot of things, but "laughably bad" is not one of them.  I have no idea what each person expected, and so it may not be that, but this is Taylor Swift's music.  You either dig it or you don't and if you don't that doesn't mean it's a "cash grab" or "bad".   

I haven't digested all of it yet, and so haven't figured out how all the pieces fit together, but I think what I've heard is pretty good.  The songs that are clearly about Joe - So Long, London, My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys - are emotional and in some cases heartbreaking, and I can see a LOT of people - men and women - relating to them.  If you can't so be it, but that doesn't factor into how "good" it is.  The songs with less obvious connection - But Daddy I Love Him* - will take time, but that's part of the fun.  I only heard one clunker so far (Florida!!! kind of sucks, but that could be because I don't like Florence + The Machine, and "Florence" sings most of the track). 

* Great line in that:  "But I love him and I'm having his baby.  No I'm not but you should have seen your faces."

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Based on her own previous discography the new one is very obviously (to me) several steps below all her other ones she's done recently. It's the Reputation of her last batch of records. As someone said earlier, they can't all be good, and it's totally fair for fans to acknowledge a stinker when it drops.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Just wanted to add that the diss track about Kim Kardashian is really egregious lmao

Eight years on, TS remains hyperfixated on what she describes as a "traumatic cancellation", but was actually just people mocking her for a few days. She brought it up in the Netflix doc, her Time profile... now this diss track. In the year of our lord 2024, my god, how is her skin so thin? The vindictiveness and victimization complex would be annoying in an up-and-comer, but in a billionare at the pinnacle of cultural power it's downright deranged!!! Girl, you're not an underdog and haven't been for years. Get over yourself

[Stadler]

Just wanted to add that the diss track about Kim Kardashian is really egregious lmao

Eight years on, TS remains hyperfixated on what she describes as a "traumatic cancellation", but was actually just people mocking her for a few days. She brought it up in the Netflix doc, her Time profile... now this diss track. In the year of our lord 2024, my god, how is her skin so thin? The vindictiveness and victimization complex would be annoying in an up-and-comer, but in a billionare at the pinnacle of cultural power it's downright deranged!!! Girl, you're not an underdog and haven't been for years. Get over yourself

Wow, okay.  Maybe she's not for you, then?   Do you also tell Roger Waters - fucking billionaire - to "get over his father's death already"?   Maybe we should tell Neal to "give the fucking Jesus thing a rest, will you?".  How about Bruce; hasn't worked a day in his blessed life, but that stubborn bastard just WILL NOT stop writing about the factory worker!  Man!

Writers write about what inspires them.  If it doesn't connect with you, so be it.  I have a list as long as my arm - actually longer, probably closer to as long as my weiner - of bands I don't connect with.  I don't question their motives, I just listen to something else.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Wow, okay.  Maybe she's not for you, then?

Yeah, that's the only thing I can really say at this point. As a lifelong fan of hers it's incredibly shitty to see her go down the path of such deranged toxicity. I thought she got it out of her system with Reputation, which I was willing to overlook at the time, but it's clear she'll never get over it. I don't want to support such a toxic lunatic - especially one that's a billionaire.


Roger Waters isn't a billionaire BTW, but he should also STFU about a few things

EDIT: Neal and Bruce can keep on singing about their topics, they aren't "clapping back", "dissin'" or bringing up old dead beefs nobody cares about. They aren't being toxic and shitty towards their peers. There is a huge difference to me in this comparison.

[kaos2900]

Just wanted to add that the diss track about Kim Kardashian is really egregious lmao

Eight years on, TS remains hyperfixated on what she describes as a "traumatic cancellation", but was actually just people mocking her for a few days. She brought it up in the Netflix doc, her Time profile... now this diss track. In the year of our lord 2024, my god, how is her skin so thin? The vindictiveness and victimization complex would be annoying in an up-and-comer, but in a billionare at the pinnacle of cultural power it's downright deranged!!! Girl, you're not an underdog and haven't been for years. Get over yourself

Dude, what in the world are you talking about? What diss track are you referring to?

[Zook]

Seems she's going down the insufferable Lana Del Rey so boring I want to stab my ears style. What I'm hearing so far sounds like typical recycled Taylor Swift. I haven't heard the whole album. I actually just walked in my room and it was on, but if these two songs are a representation of the whole album, then the next two years are going to be fun...

This is like Folklore/Evermore with no interesting or catchy melodies. She sounds bored on this next song.

She needs to take a break for like 5 years. Let the inspiration stew. This is so bland. Fuck.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Dude, what in the world are you talking about? What diss track are you referring to?

thanK you aIMee, the tune that is very obviously about the incident (down to the capitalization, lmao) she can't let go of. Have you listened to the album?

Seems she's going down the insufferable Lana Del Rey so boring I want to stab my ears style. What I'm hearing so far sounds like typical recycled Taylor Swift. I haven't heard the whole album. I actually just walked in my room and it was on, but if these two songs are a representation of the whole album, then the next two years are going to be fun...

This is like Folklore/Evermore with no interesting or catchy melodies. She sounds bored on this next song.

She needs to take a break for like 5 years. Let the inspiration stew. This is so bland. Fuck.

Yeah, it's really bad. It's almost like she saw how bad Lorde's Solar Power was and said "Hold my beer"

[senecadawg2]

My first impression is Midnights, part two. This is an album with a few tracks I enjoyed well enough and a few I'm not especially eager to listen to again. What I find interesting is the hyperbolic response from both the hardcore Swifties and those who don't enjoy it. I'm unsurprised the latter are represented more vocally on DTF, but jeez, it's really nothing shocking by her standards.

Edited to add and hopefully distill the point: what were people expecting?

[Zook]

At this point I'm not expecting anything good. But I'm constantly subjected to her music, so it would be nice if I could enjoy it again.

[nobloodyname]

What I find interesting is the hyperbolic response from both the hardcore Swifties and those who don't enjoy it. I'm unsurprised the latter are represented more vocally on DTF, but jeez, it's really nothing shocking by her standards.

I don't think anyone's been particularly hyperbolic here have they?

The album is fine. But like I said, it's an extension of the last three, particularly Midnights. They're all albums you could pop on during a dinner party and you'd have no idea whether the first or ninth song was playing nor indeed how many times the entire thing had already looped. For me, there's not much that's particularly memorable here and that isn't something I can say about any album up to and including Lover.

[emtee]

Whenever any artist or band makes a connection with millions of people I try to listen and see what happens. My wife likes TS so I've gotten to hear her music over the years but unfortunately it's never connected with me. I tried again with this new one. It certainly sounds great on the headphones sonically but I got about 5 songs in and that was it. Hopefully her legion of fans love it.

[KevShmev]

The Tortured Poets Department is not an album for the casual fan or to initiate someone into the Taylor Swift fandom. I could tell right away that it was going to be a grower.  The big pop hooks are mostly non-existent, and the album is long (31 songs over two hours), so you have to be invested and be willing to give it a handful of chances over a period of time, which I get that dislikers of it right away won't do since it's pretty common to just move to the next thing in the streaming era when there are a billion other songs at your fingertips.  Quite a few of the songs still seem a bit boring and like a blur to me, but many of the songs sounded very good to me so far, so I will be interested to see how this really lands for me months from now once I have had a chance to live with it for a while.  With all due respect to some here, passing final judgment on it when the album is not even 24 hours old (or 72 hours if one grabbed the leak on Wednesday) is something a serious music fan just doesn't do.  Doing that is just as mindless as those declaring it a masterpiece after one or two listens.

This is not an album meant for the masses, but because of her stature, it is impossible for it not to be massive (the streaming numbers are already breaking records).  I can say confidently already that if someone asked me today which Taylor Swift album they should listen to to try and turn them into a fan, this is the last one I would recommend, and not because it isn't good (I think it is pretty good overall so far, with a handful of songs I am really loving, but, again, I won't know for a while how good I really think it is), but because it does not have the immediacy of any of her other albums. 

Also, I think many really miss the point about who she is always writing and singing about (I did as well until recently).  It's easy to say, "Oh, she's singing about an ex again," but, no, the relationship that she has consistently written about over the years is the one with herself.  Whether she is singing about an ex, a current boyfriend, her mom or a friend, she is writing about herself and how that particular relationship affects her relationship with herself.  Call it her feelings or emotions or whatever you want, but that is the constant in her history. 

I would keep in mind as well that her lyrics are not always quite literally a factual delivery of what really happened in her life. Take a song like But Daddy I Love Him, where she gives a fictional ending to a real story (since we all know she didn't marry Matt Healy).

To those who will continue to listening with an open mind, happy listening! 

[Zantera]

That's a long and nice way of saying its crap