Okay, I don’t know how to begin to explain my love for Taylor Swift’s new eighth studio album folklore.
Taylor took us by surprise and no one is complaining, people said that she may have saved our 2020. Announcing in her social media accounts hours before the actual release. There was no signs or notice that she will be doing this and no one expected it as she just released her Lover album less than a year ago but she explained that a lot of unexpected things happened this year that changed her plans. One of them was this, she decided not to over-analyze the release of this album and just initially released it to the world.
Like what the USA Today said on their review:
“Have you ever listened to “All Too Well” and said, “Great, now can I have 16 more of these?”
And you know how us Swifties claim that All Too Well is Taylor’s best song ever. Imagine a whole album of that— folklore might be Taylor Swift’s greatest album to date.
The story telling, the poetry, and the whole aesthetic of it are some of the things that you wouldn’t believed was completed in the span of only 3 months as Taylor revealed that she started writing last April. Folklore’s tone is emotional, vulnerable, mysterious. Classed as alternative in genre and along with the vintage wood themes of it, Taylor also focused more on the writing here and telling us stories with no overly produced songs. Just like how we liked stripped down version of her songs, this album couldn’t be stripped down to any more than it already is as it is the perfect album for those who find mellow, and sad songs as a therapeutic way of coping up with sadness or to just accompany you in times of contemplating and introspecting. I am one of those that will truly enjoy this album, it will be my new lullaby, my new tunes when I am writing, it will be the new songs I listen to on a road trip whilst gazing outside through the window.
What I love more about this album is the poetic side of it and dissecting lyrics and the story. Taylor has been low-key these past years and leaving fans with little and no update about her life. When every album that she made in the past was easier to dissect because the media was all on her move. Now, understanding the true meaning of the songs on her new album can be a little tricky this time. She said that the songs were based on hers and other people’s perspective which is difficult to identify which is which.
The story telling and writing that she did on this album was exquisitely creative like a true modern poet. The character that she created, the world that she imagined, the story that she conceptualized was successfully brought out to the world for us to listen to with limited time to market and promote. Taylor proved she didn’t even need to work hard on promoting her album as the album did it itself as she trends worldwide upon the release. She’s been in the industry for more than a decade now and we thought we’ve seen everything she has to offer but the songwriting genius that she is, this girl has a lot more to show for and she proved it through this masterpiece album folklore.
- I never imagined Taylor writing about death in my tears ricochet.
- I love the light folk bop that is the last great american dynasty and the 1.
- Her collaboration with Bon Iver exile was something that I watched out for and I actually listened first to when the album came out.
- invisible strings is one of my favorite and it initially caught my ears as well as august that I kind of hear Back For Good by Take That in the chorus (maybe it’s just me).
There was a bunch of break up songs in this album, which I think is because it’s her theme in terms of lyrical subject and not because that she and Joe (her boyfriend) broke up like what everybody else assumes. I think back to what she said when she wrote “Death By A Thousand Cuts” on her last album. She wrote it as a way to reassure herself that she can still write break up songs where she was known for. I think folklore was such a huge turn from her last Album Lover where it was such a happy and lovey-dovey album. Her new album will take your heart and mind for an emotional ride, it will leave you the kind of feeling when you finished reading your new found favorite book— lost in the words and music and never wanting it to end.
I commend how her mind works, her depth and how she is no longer the girl who sings petty heart break and vengeful songs. Taylor has grown into an artist that she was meant to become.
You can also stream folklore on Spotify:
Gigantic Thought Bubble 