Taylor Swift - Lover (Album Review)

The Queen of Pop hath returned...

Taylor Swift is phenomenal. She's always been a force of nature, both in terms of commercial and critical success. She has released now seven of the biggest albums of the 21st century and has many international hit singles to her name. That said, her last album reputation was divisive and her most controversial release to date. It was sonically and tonally very inconsistent, and featured an array of quite different and experimental songs, at least for her at the time. It was a bold release, and it was met with some of the harshest criticisms she has ever faced, mainly directed towards her instead of the music itself. Personally, I find it a very mixed bag as it contained some of her most frustrating and irritating work but also contained some hidden and underappreciated gems that undoubtedly deserve more exposure. That said, what do we get from Taylor's seventh album, Lover?

Well, all things considered, it is her most expansive and diverse collection of songs to date, an amalgamation of sounds she has explored successfully in the past and a focus on certain genres that I wouldn't have expected in 2019 for Taylor to explore, especially after reputation. These are songs that more often that not present themselves as sweet, catchy indie pop, very much in contrast to the dark beats and somewhat claustrophobic production of her last album. No, these songs range from breezy to introspective and everywhere in between, really proving once and for all the range that Taylor is capable of.

One of the most interesting things about her more recent output, from 1989 (the album not the year) to the present, is her material with producer Jack Antonoff, an eclectic musician known for his work with some of the most captivating electropop artists of the decade (notably St. Vincent, Lorde, Troy Sivan and even Lana Del Rey). What he brings to the table is unique, energetic and passionately detailed and his contributions to Lover are his most prominent with Taylor Swift to date. He is a driving force between almost all of the songs here, and there are times when his instrumentals carry the songs, notably on "The Man". This is a confused stab at gender equality in the music industry that doesn't quite get it's point across and is thankfully saved by Taylor's ability to always write fantastic, catchy choruses and Antonoff's electrifying synthesizers that flesh out an otherwise underwhelming song.

In terms of the aforementioned range and diversity of sounds on the tracklist, we get a welcome blend of all her best sonic directions. You might think that such diversity would be chaotic or miss-matched, and I'm not denying that the flow of the album can be off-putting (especially between the sensational electropop of "Cruel Summer" and the gorgeous acoustic nature of "Lover", two incredible songs that just don't flow whatsoever), but the album is tied together more in concept and theme, much like with The Voidz album Virtue from last year (yes, that's a strange comparison to draw), and due to this Lover doesn't feel incomplete or in any way like an anthology. I would argue that the differences in sound and tone only aid the album's overall charm and heighten my enjoyment. Whilst you could make the argument that this is a commercial move, an attempt at gaining the system for playlist placement I would point out the actual issue that results in this - the length.

Taylor Swift has released long albums before, and this isn't even her longest release but I do feel that there are songs that just did not need to be included on the album, songs that revisited ideas done better in other tracks or songs that just didn't fit into the general vibe. Let's first talk singles. "ME!" featuring Brendon Urie (of Panic! At The Disco) was released as the lead single and honestly I feel like it's overhated at this point. Sure, it's got some of the cringiest lyrics here and Brendon was just not the singer to bring in for this, in no world can he go toe-to-toe with Taylor Swift, their chemistry is appalling, but this song is lighthearted and fun and, unlike most people, I seem to find more to like the more I hear the song. Yes, it can get tiring and it doesn't really find a way to exceed the first chorus, but it serves a purpose as a single. As a SINGLE. It does feel redundant on the album, and it was definitely not representative of the rest of the tracklist but I can look past it and enjoy it for what it is.

Continuing the focus on singles we land on the most controversial song here, and people, "You Need To Calm Down". This is by no means the best way to represent the LGBTQ+ community. It's also not the best Taylor Swift song by any means, the beat is far too simple and it lacks any momentum to really grab me or even to get me thinking but it peaks my interest when I hear it and it is at least somewhat representative it just should have been executed a lot better. It's not worth the hate, but it's also not worth loving when she gives us so many superior songs. If you're looking for deeper meaning look no further than her very positive and introspective closer, "Daylight", a gorgeous piece that showcases a thoughtful and provocative side to Taylor. If you're looking for emotion and resonating issues listen to "Soon You'll Get Better", the heartfelt ballad dedicated to Taylor's mum battling cancer, another incredibly insightful and impressively self aware and painfully raw songwriting that is only strengthened by its simplicity, cutting deeper than Antonoff's greatest basslines and genuinely bringing tears to my eyes when I hear it.

On the topic of haunting beautiful and tragic, I have to bring up perhaps my personal favourite song on the album, "The Archer". This shows a developed and experienced songwriter at her most vulnerable and, in beautiful contrast to the persona she portrays on reputation, we get the real Taylor presenting her very real and very painful emotions. The power behind the lyrics is astounding, especially in lines like "I cut off my nose/just to spite my face", a demonstration of both her self loathing and her songwriting prowess. She is ever entrancing and a song like this makes me appreciate why she's one of the greatest pop artists of our time. In short, "The Archer" is stunning.

There are so many more high points to this album, such as the Lana Del Rey inspired "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince", its wonderful trip-hop beat giving it a unique dynamic that pairs surprisingly well with Taylor's extended school metaphors throughout. "False God" too provides something entirely new for Swift, the sax lending itself perfectly to the darker synth tones. This one really stands out in my opinion, and I have no problem with the blunt religious "analogy" that as far as I'm concerned only elevates the song. Another favourite has to be the almost punky "Paper Rings", easily the most upbeat song on the album and one that knows how to be fun without being stupid like the unfortunate "London Boy", a track that I cannot take seriously with lyrics like "I fancy you" and of course "home is where the heart is/but God I love the English". Cringey, yes. Laughable yet passable? That's for you to decide I suppose.

One more song I'd like to mention before bringing this review to a conclusion is "It's Nice To Have A Friend". As something that has been divisive between fans and critics alike, I'd like to just say that I find it incredibly sweet, regardless of the intent of the track as an ode to a friend or perhaps a precursor to the lyric about "hating accidents" and going "from friends to this" from "Paper Rings". I don't know and to be honest I don't think it matters whatsoever. I can see where the criticisms come from and to an extent I can agree the instrumental does sound relatively unfinished but I just find it minimal and sweet just as it should be for a song like this and I will defend it proudly.

In conclusion, I find this to be one of Taylor's very best albums and not too far separated from Speak Now or Red. It feels like a spiritual continuation from each and every one of her albums, taking elements from each and progressing and improving on lots of styles and themes on those. It showcases her most mature and diverse range of songs but I can't ignore the fact that some of the tracks just feel like filler and unnecessary, which is a shame because removing the odd song could have resulted in a near-perfect album. Overall, Lover by Taylor Swift gets a light 8 out of 10 from me. This is an album I recommend to anyone that somehow hasn't heard this yet, because it is totally a worthwhile and essential pop release.

Best Songs:
The Archer; Paper Rings; Soon You'll Get Better; Lover; False God; Daylight; Cornelia Street; Miss Americana; It's Nice To Have A Friend

Worst Songs:
Afterglow; I Forgot That You Existed

I am quite excited as it's been a while since I reviewed an album with so many songs which means of course I get to bring back my IDEAL TRACKLIST segment, where I cut down a 15+ song tracklist down to just the 10 best and most necessary songs. Fair warning, I may also rearrange a couple to improve the flow...

Ideal Tracklist:
1. Lover
2. Paper Rings
3. Cornelia Street
4. Cruel Summer
5. The Archer
6. Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince
7. Soon You'll Get Better
8. It's Nice To Have A Friend
9. False God
10. Daylight

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"Lover"

Taylor Swift

23/08/2019

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Hope you liked the review, thanks for making it to the end <3