Taylor Swift: The Tortured Poets Department review — heartbreak inspires anguish, anger and a career highlight
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Within what is referred to as the realm of Taylor Swift's music universe, which some people call the Swiftverse and others refer to as the Swiftularity, the conventional norms of being a popular singer don't seem to matter. The laws of gravity don't seem to apply, time can be reversed, and old songs are revamped to become indistinguishable from new ones. Being incredibly rich doesn't prevent one from being relatable. Even a mediocre album about staying up late can become the top-selling album in the United States in 2022 and the second-highest seller in 2023.
Midnights was a triumph for Taylor Swift, but it's not one of her best albums. Her lyrics weren't up to her usual standards, and the storytelling seemed like an exercise in creative writing themes. It's possible that the pressure of producing four albums in three years, while getting ready for the record-breaking Eras Tour, had an impact on her work. Despite its success, Midnights suggested that Taylor Swift might not be infallible. Could this be the peak of her career, the point of maximum expansion for the Swiftverse?
Her new album has an unusually long and convoluted title, causing speculation among fans. Unlike her previous 10 albums, which are all named with just one word, except for her debut in 2006 called Taylor Swift and Speak Now from 2010. The title The Tortured Poets Department is not a simple one to say and sounds like it could be a bad poem. Her frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff, is the co-producer and co-songwriter for the album. Some of her fans are divided on Antonoff's involvement, with some considering him dull for bringing an electronic touch to her music. Another regular collaborator, Aaron Dessner from the band The National, is also featured on the album.
The album contains a total of 16 songs. In addition, there are four bonus tracks that can be found in other versions of the album. It seems that all the composing and recording of these tracks took place while Swift was on her Eras Tour, which will soon enter the European leg in May. Despite the busy schedule, there is no indication that the album was rushed. The quality of the songwriting in The Tortured Poets Department surpasses that of Midnights, and Swift's performance on the microphone is just as charming as usual.
The focus is on heartbreak, and this album marks the end of her six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn. This break-up has heavily influenced the standout song "So Long, London," which has become one of her biggest career highlights. Dessner also co-wrote the track, which opens with Swift's voice multiplied, singing the song's title in the style of London's ringing bells. The song describes the slow death of a romance with a mix of sorrow and pent-up fury, against a backdrop of atmospheric electronic music illuminated by a muted light.
In Taylor Swift's recent album, there is a contrast in themes between her portrayal of a doomed love affair with an emotionally unexpressive man and her upbeat song "London Boy" from the previous album. This farewell to her former lover is emphasized by a shift towards American-style music in songs such as "Fresh Out the Slammer," where she returns to her partner who sees her as the embodiment of his American dreams. Similarly, "But Daddy I Love Him" tells a dramatic story of small-town romance set to country-pop music.
The sadness persists in the song "Down Bad", which has a catchy tune that masks the lyrics about crying in a gym. Swift sings with clear vocals about teenage temper tantrums and not caring if she can't have the person she desires. In "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart," Taylor empowers herself by dancing through her pain during the Eras Tour. Her breakup inspires a poignant couplet, "He promised to love me forever, but forever was cut short." The song is delightful and upbeat despite its solemn theme.
Moments like these inspire Swiftologists to see the album as a secret autobiography. Swift loves to include hidden messages and clues, which only adds fuel to the fire. However, trying to guess the meaning behind “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”, a wicked piano ballad, is missing the true intention. These songs are just a part of a cleverly crafted album, created by a singer-songwriter who's more of a performer than a storyteller.
In this blog section, the writer is discussing how Taylor Swift's vocals are similar to soliloquies with precision shifts in pace, emphasis, and tone. The writer also notes that the music serves as Taylor's platform, and the dynamic contrasts have become reasonably rationed, with exclamatory bursts of drumming in her collaboration with Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine in "Florida!!!". While some songs, like "The Alchemy," seem formulaic, others blend subtly layered textures, swelling melodies with her voice perfectly to create the signature style of the Swiftularity that she has developed over time.
Currently accessible via Republic Records.
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