Album Review: The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift
On Apr. 19 at midnight, Taylor Swift released her newest album, which consisted of 16 brand new songs. At 2 a.m. Taylor revealed that this is a double album and released 15 more songs.
This album is like if Midnights and Folklore had a baby. Many of the songs have creative, deep, and meaningful lyrics like seen in Folklore, but with some similar sounds of Midnights.
After listening to all 31 songs, I can confidently say that this album is great! If you are looking for the sad, slow, and heart-wrenching breakup songs Taylor is known for, then this is the album for you!
Throughout this album, many of the songs are about Joe Alwyn, whom Taylor had a six-year relationship with. There are also hints at Matty Healy, Kim Kardashian, and Taylor’s current boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Taylor also has two features on this album. The first is “Fortnight”" featuring Post Malone, and the Second is “Florida!!!” featuring Florence + The Machine.
My Favorite Songs:
“So Long, London”
This song depicts someone trying to keep a dying relationship together, but finally letting go. This song highlights Taylor’s beautiful lyrics as well as her vocals. The song has a quick heartbeat-like quality to it, which highlights the intense emotions of the song. This is my favorite song on the album due to the lyrics, music, and Taylor’s vocals on the track.
“My spine split from carrying us up the hill. Wet through my clothes, weary bones caught the chill. I stopped tryna make him laugh, stopped tryna drill the safe”
“I stopped CPR, after all, it’s no use. The spirit was gone, we would never come to. And I’m pissed off you let me give you all that youth for free”
“And you say I abandoned the ship. But I was going down with it. My white-knuckle dying grip. Holding tight to your quiet resentment. And my friends said it isn’t right to be scared. Every day of a love affair. Every breath feels like rarest air. When you’re not sure if he wants to be there”
“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
This song has a Reputation feel to it from the sound to the meaning. Throughout the song Taylor addresses rumors about herself, and asks “Who’s afraid of little old me?” and then responds with “You should be.” The confrontational quality of this song makes it really fun and empowering.
“Is it a wonder I broke? Let’s hear one more joke. Then we could all just laugh until I cry. So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street. Crash the party like a record as I scream ‘Who’s afraid of little old me?”
“I’m always drunk on my own tears, isn’t that what they all said? That I’ll sue you if you step on my lawn. That I’m fearsome and I’m wretched and I’m wrong. Put narcotics into all of my songs. And that’s why you’re still singin’ along”
“loml”
Typically, loml, stands for love of my life, but in this song it stands for loss of my life. This 4-minute and 38-second song details the beginning, middle, and end of a relationship. It is slow, beautiful, and very sad. The last line in the song is “You’re the loss of my life,” which indicates that is what the title stands for. It also implies that losing this relationship is the biggest loss Taylor has experienced.
“If you know it in one glimpse, it’s legendary. You and I go from one kiss to getting married. Still alive, killing time at the cemetery. Never quite buried. In your suit and tie, in the nick of time. You low-down boy, you stand-up guy. You Holy Ghost, you told me I’m the love of your life.”
“You shit-talked me under the table. Talkin’ rings and talkin’ cradles I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all. Dancing phantoms on the terrace. Are they second-hand embarrassed that I can’t get out of bed. ‘cause something counterfeit’s dead? It was legendary. It was momentary. It was unnecessary. Should’ve let it stay buried.”
“How Did It End”
This song depicts what having a public breakup is like and how everyone is desperate to know every detail. I really enjoy everything about this song, but it is extremely sad because it shows how Taylor feels like a spectacle after her breakups.
“Come one, come all, it’s happenin’ again. The empathetic hunger descends. We’ll tell no one except all of our friends. We must know How did it end?”
“Guess who we ran into at the shops? Walking in circles like she was lost. Didn’t you hear? They called it all off. One gasp and then How did it end?”
