Do you think you’ll ever not hear the name ‘Taylor Swift’ again? I hope not. Only 7 months shy of her previous release, Swift drops a bewildering announcement to her 80 million Twitter fans: ‘I’ll be releasing my 8th studio album.’ Now if you’re familiar with Taylor Swift usual pattern, and album is typically released in the last quarter of the year and runs a circuit of two years until another comes – this changed slightly by her brief hiatus in 2015-6 but it’s roughly the same. 2020 has been the year of rescheduled tours and zoom call interviews for many musicians and not a lot of creative expression was necessarily anticipated. Even more so from Taylor how hadn’t even let her 2019 release ‘Lover’ simmer before releasing new music. But I’m so glad she did.
So what is this folklore all about? I wasn’t so sure at first if I’m very honest. The opening piano of ‘the 1’ threw me off. Is it fair to say that I don’t think this is anything like what Taylor has done before and it was a bit of a grower. But this was because I was taking it at face value, and my first listen of a new album is always a bit scattered. I never know what to focus on.
Let’s talk about evermore, the older and wiser sister I like to call her. She’s seen some shit and lived to tell the tale. The heartbreaking ballads of ‘champagne problems’ and ‘happiness’ I love dearly and evoke such strong emotions that listening makes me feel like I’m living ten lives simultaneously.
Every song on both folklore and evermore are like mini novels. There’s a story developing in each one and I can see the characters so clearly. I adore this type of songwriting, which is usually reserved for country or folk music. I guess this is what Taylor is, a hybrid of pop/country/folk.
This winter has been particularly harsh, icy winds and obsidian afternoons. Having albums like this are just what you need and are there for you when you need a little comfort.
saharamelts 