Review: Taylor Swift's Tortured Poets Department finds the star bereft but vicious
The picture is from Getty Images.
Out of all the musicians who have been nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys, Taylor Swift has taken home the award a total of four times, which is more than anyone else has ever accomplished.
Reporter who covers music for BBC News
It's not unexpected that Taylor Swift wrote a record focused on breakups.
Throughout her latest 10 album releases, the famous artist has dug deep into her personal experiences, dissecting and revealing the intricate details of her romantic affairs, intimate encounters, and emotional turmoil. As a result, she has crafted some of the most unforgettable and impactful lyrics in the world of pop music.
Over the past five years, she has been focused on romance, creating tracks such as Delicate, Lover, Invisible String, and Lavender Haze, which were all influenced by her partner of six years, the actor from Britain, Joe Alwyn.
Swift and Alwyn had a strong bond which led to Swift relocating to London. They collaborated on several Grammy Award-winning albums such as Folklore and Midnights. They even used a fake name, William Bowery, to share writing credits.
After Swift started her record-breaking Eras tour, which began in March of 2023, it was announced in April that she had ended her relationship with her partner.
According to an unnamed individual who informed People magazine, the situation was peaceful and lacking in melodrama. However, when the music artist revealed her 11th record, The Tortured Poets Department, during the Grammy Awards in February, enthusiasts started to wonder if it would address the aftermath.
They noticed the title had resemblance to a chat group that Alwyn and Paul Mescal, another actor, have together called The Tortured Man Club. It was a speedy observation.
During a performance in Melbourne, Swift informed the crowd that her latest album had been the most cathartic project she had ever worked on.
She expressed that Tortured Poets made her remember why songwriting is important to her survival. In fact, she has never had an album where she relied on songwriting as much as she did with Tortured Poets.
The sensation is definitely that of a cleanse.
The photo used in this piece was provided by Beth Garrabrant.
The much-awaited album was made available globally at 5am UK time.
The vocalist is feeling a powerful combination of sadness and confusion. They seem more exposed and defenseless than ever before, displaying an aspect of themselves that is wholly unfamiliar to us.
She sings about feeling extremely sad to the point where she can't even get up from her bed. Additionally, she mentions that she finds solace in consuming child-friendly cereals to ease her sorrow. Moreover, she admits to weeping while at the gym.
On the track "So Long, London," you can feel the pain in her heart as she comes to terms with her loss and leaves the city behind.
"She expressed disappointment as she said ‘I had a successful time, experienced a pleasant moment in the sun but unfortunately it's not me.’" As the harmonious backing vocals give the impression of the sad farewell of the city's church bells, the piece becomes one of her most outstanding works.
Despite enjoying her Eras tour, she still feels the weight of sadness lingering over her like a veil.
As the lively melody of I Can Do It With A Broken Heart played, she sang the words, "I collapsed and fell to the ground / My entire being splintered into fragments while the audience chanted for an encore."
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Swift has become a billionaire due to the triumph of the Eras tour.
Afterwards, she asks for explanations, questioning whether the intention was to ruin her bright summer.
These words are featured in the ferociously named song, "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived." The tune begins with a tired exhalation but builds to a climax of fury and suspicion.
"Did you author any literature? / Were you working as a covert operative? / Will this information be available to the public in half a century? / Will you eventually divulge the motives behind your actions?"
Within the written commentary included with the album, Swift acknowledges both the inner unrest within the relationship and the precision of her writing utensil.
"She reveals that both of them were in a state of mania and they both engaged in self-injury. This led to a chaotic situation in their house and eventually a heart attack. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the poet couldn't help but smile because it's when she writes about terrible men that she produces her greatest work."
The featured photo was obtained from Getty Images.
Swift and Alwyn's Appearance at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards
Indeed, this album deals with a heartbreak. However, Taylor Swift did not acquire her fame by conforming to conventional standards.
Throughout her professional journey, she has defied predicted outcomes, changing from being a teenage country music icon to a widely popular pop superstar. Amid the pandemic, she evolved into an author who beautifully portrays multi-layered characters in her writings in a rustic and charming manner.
In the department of Tortured Poets, she muddles up her various identities by writing as both someone chronicling her daily life and as someone who conjures up unrealistic scenarios - and sometimes she combines both styles within one piece of music.
This method is particularly evident in the song titled "But Daddy I Love Him", which stands out with its sparkling ballad about a girl from a small town who elopes with the town's troublemaker, much to the dismay of her family and the gossiping mothers who love their wine.
The words in the music also speak about the judgmental words that were said about Swift's alleged relationship with Matty Healy, the frontman of The 1975, even though it was never officially confirmed. This happened last year.
Several supporters were disappointed with the relationship and expressed that Healy was not an appropriate partner. Healy has been accused of misogyny and racism in his career, which he has denied.
Swift's song serves as a retaliation where she confidently expresses her firm stance, stating that she would rather destroy everything about her identity than endure another moment of negativity and complaining. She makes it clear that her reputation belongs solely to her, and she is unwilling to let anyone else tarnish it.
The source where the image was obtained is Getty Images.
The album was created through cooperation with Bryce Dessner (who is situated on the left and is a member of The National) and Jack Antonoff (who is standing on the right and is the lead vocalist of Bleachers).
The album is kept from being too sad by the sharp lyrics, but the music created by Swift's longtime partners Jack Antonoff and Bryce Dessner can sometimes mask her desire for revenge.
The music has a lot of soft, cushiony synthesizers and quiet drums that worked really well for creating a dreamy atmosphere on her previous album, Midnights. This works nicely when she sings about her sorrows in a delicate and gentle way, like on the song Bad Down. However, when she writes playful and daring songs like Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me, the layers of echo and hazy strings overwhelm the fun and energetic tone of the song.
Her singing style has become too predictable, with repeated use of short, sharp verses and loud hooks to make a point.
However, some songs indicate alternate musical pathways.
The track "Florida!!!" by Florence + The Machine is noteworthy for its use of various instruments such as drums and guitars to tell a tale of running away to the Everglades to evade authorities. This explains why the song has several exclamation points in its title.
The infrequent shaking guitars in the song "I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)" create a suitable base for Swift's pessimistic and misguided words.
The Tortured Poets Department album has its ups and downs. It's missing a catchy radio hit like Anti-Hero or Shake It Off. However, Swift is dominating the pop music scene at the moment, so the album will still sell extremely well despite leaking one day before its official release.
Furthermore, the vocalist enjoys leaving her audience on the edge of their seats, so she concludes the record by suggesting what her next stage may entail.
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. Swift has entered into a romantic relationship with American football star Travis Kelce.
The section on the blog discusses Clara Bow, who was named after a popular American actress known as the first "It Girl" during the 1920s. It explores how the entertainment industry shapes and markets women, limiting their time in the limelight as per directives of unknown businessmen.
The final section of the song, and the concluding lyrics of the album, are directed towards the upcoming young genius of popular music.
"You resemble Taylor Swift / Under this lighting, we are really enjoying it / Your style is more daring than hers / The outlook is promising... Radiant."
It's a common display of self-awareness, connecting the difference between how she sees herself and how the public sees her.
Swift is aware that her ongoing global tour is a major achievement, an unparalleled moment of cultural supremacy. However, there are other stars who are younger (but perhaps not as ambitious) who are trying to catch up to her.
By concluding her involvement with The Tortured Poets Department, she is not only putting an end to a romantic connection, but possibly abandoning a lifestyle and career path as well.
Could this be the conclusion of her most recent chapter?
