I’ve been a fan of Taylor Swift for a while now. Dancing around my room singing “Picture to Burn” with a hairbrush microphone at age 9 was the beginning of my love for her, but her growth throughout her career, professionally and otherwise, has kept me reeled in for the last 12 years. Her new album, folklore, while different from anything she has ever done, has been the latest of her work that has kept me in awe of her since elementary school. I loved the album at first listen, and I had a lot of thoughts about it that I shared with my friends the night it came out (sorry again for waking you guys up at two in the morning with my excitement). Those are the thoughts I would like to share with you today, so here is what I thought of every track on the artist of the decade’s latest album on first listen.
“The 1”
This is probably one of the best breakup songs I have ever heard. It’s not a sad diss track like All Too Well. Instead, it’s a song for when you’re over a breakup and can look on the relationship fondly. On first listen, this was in my top five on the whole album.
“Cardigan”
The music video to this song is what established my love for the track. It is so creative, and I think it really set the tone for the new era. The lyrics, “But I knew you/ Dancin’ in your Levi’s/ Drunk under a streetlight” and “I knew you/ Leavin’ like a father/ Running like water” are so simple and yet so amazing. The lyrics in this track are definitely some of her best.
“The Last Great American Dynasty”
My first thought at first listen was, “Who is Rebecca?” The beat is good, but I could not fully appreciate the song without knowing the full story behind it, so it was not my favorite on first listen.
“Exile”
This song is amazing. I’ll be honest, I still have no idea who Bon Iver is, but I am forever thankful they played a part in giving us this bop. It is an amazing breakup song. A less aggressive version of All Too Well, really, and I absolutely love it.
“My Tears Ricochet”
I had to listen to this song like three times to fully appreciate it. It isn’t my favorite, but it’s still good.
“Mirrorball”
This song hits. It’s a feel good, happy track, which usually isn’t my style, but I loved this one.
“Seven”
This was the first track I didn’t really like on first listen. To be honest, I’m more of a fan of the really sad songs, and this one, while it has sad undertones, is more about child innocence.
“August”
This song is way more my style. I can’t tell you why, but those songs about lost love just hit for me. And this bridge is amazing. Taylor Swift, master architect of bridges, strikes again and for that I am thankful.
“This Is Me Trying”
I still have no words for the masterpiece that is this song. When she released the track list, I knew that this was going to be my favorite, and I was right. The second verse gutted me, and the bridge made me want to jump off a bridge (in a good way). I still have not recovered from the experience of listening to this for the first time.
“Illicit Affairs”
The words I sent to the group chat with my friends had a lot of expletives because that is the only way I could describe my feelings of this song. It is so ridiculously good. The lyrics, “You taught me a secret language I can’t speak with anyone else/ And you know damn well/ For you, I would ruin myself” are just so wonderfully heart wrenching. This song is just one of the many reasons Taylor is the best songwriter of our generation.
“Invisible String”
This is a very upbeat and happy song. If I were in to happy songs, I would like it, but I am a generally sad human, so it is not my favorite.
“Mad Woman”
This is a diss track aimed at Scooter Braun, and I am here for it. Also, hearing Taylor curse is like an instant serotonin boost and I love it.
“Epiphany”
This song is really sad. Like even for me, lover of listening to songs that make you want to cry in the car, this is sad. This song will 100% be featured on Grey’s Anatomy. That’s how sad it is.
“Betty”
Luckily, this song has nothing to do with Riverdale. This track has major country vibes, and it’s a wonderful tribute to the beginning of her career and a testament to how much she has grown since her country days. She curses again which is amazing.
“Peace”
This is the only song I wanted to skip on first listen. It isn’t bad, but it wasn’t really my style. However, there is shade to Kanye in it and I am living for that.
“Hoax”
This song also was not my favorite on first listen. The lyrics are still so good though. Some of my favorite are, “You knew it still hurts underneath my scars/ From when they pulled me apart/ But what you did was just as dark”
Overall, folklore is a lot like Red but with more hippie vibes. After first listen, I told my friends it was like if “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac and Red had a love child. There are a lot of breakup songs, which I love, but even the sad songs are more upbeat. This is the album I would listen to while running through a magic forest outside my castle if that makes sense. The fairytale vibes are immaculate. The most awarded AMA artist in history truly never fails to amaze.