While the rest of us were being lazy in quarantine watching Tik Toks, and binge-watching Netflix, Taylor Swift was working on one of her greatest albums of all time. She released the album Folklore on July 24, 2020, with a surprise album release and music video for the single “Cardigan”. I wasn’t a huge fan of the album at first, but as time has gone on it has aged like fine wine.
Something I love about this album is that it isn’t only about her. She writes songs about real or imaginary people (hence the title being “Folklore”) and every song follows a different story. The songs August, Betty, and Cardigan all follow a love triangle between three characters. It makes the lyrics fun to unpack as you try to understand the complexity of the stories and how they connect. While this album is too long to dissect track by track, here is my official ranking of tracks (even though they seem to change weekly).
-
August
-
Seven
-
The 1
-
Cardigan
-
My Tears Ricochet
-
The Last Great American Dynasty
-
The Lakes
-
Illicit Affairs
-
Mad Woman
-
Betty
-
Invisible String
-
Exile
-
Peace
-
Mirrorball
-
Mad Woman
-
This is Me Trying
-
Hoax
-
Epiphany
This album was perfect for the ever-changing emotional rollercoaster that quarantine has been. While it doesn’t match the upbeat pop sound that Taylor has created in her last few albums, it is the perfect genre to switch into more alternative and indie music. It perfectly complements her 2012 album “Red” by matching the fall and cozy vibe, while also transitioning into more of an adult sound. This album is definitely her best album lyrically and explores more themes creatively and sonically than ever before. While it isn’t my go-to to sing in the car, Taylor created an album that is perfect for the time we are living in now and a beautiful story to distract us from everything else going on. Until we can hear the album live, I’ll be wrapped in a blanket, drinking pumpkin spice, lighting a candle, and listening to my “Folklore” vinyl.