The Tortured Poets Department is the eleventh album from singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Before this album, I liked most songs on each one of her albums except for her first album because I do not like country music. The thing I found most interesting about Taylor was her relatable poetic lyrics matched with simple but occasionally interesting instrumentation. Personally, I am a huge fan of her albums Speak Now, 1989, and Evermore. In the past, Swift has received criticism for her singing ability and range. Over her past few albums, she was able to prove that she was a competent singer. Every single one of her albums she was able to improve on something people questioned her ability on, until this last album. Her massive rise in popularity the last two years has led to her receiving nearly no criticism. While her last album was good, it was not the best album that year, yet it still won “Album of the Year” at the Grammy’s over more deserving artists like Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, and Lana Del Rey.
This album, The Tortured Poet Department, is Swift’s most sonically one-dimensional and least unique album. The songs seem to all bleed into each other with the vocals sounding the same and it seems to be her most uninteresting instrumentation. Think back to albums like Red, which had a pleasant guitar present in almost every song, or 1989, which brought a new modernized version of 80’s synth-pop. This album seems to be reminiscent of Midnights but with more pianos and guitars, and sadly nothing truly different from what she has done in the past. More often than not, these songs are worse versions of her old songs or other artists’ styles.
Fortnight (feat. Post Malone):
The main message in the song is that “I love you, it’s ruining my life”. She talks about living next to your ex and wanting to kill his wife. She describes only being with this man for a fortnight (14 days). It features Post Malone, however, he does not have a verse. Instead, he is background vocals for most of the song. This seems to be a habit of Taylor Swift when she collaborates to relegate other artists to a very minimal role such as Lana Del Rey, Chris Stapelton, and HAIM. However, her duets with Bon Iver are some of her best songs in my opinion. I would have loved to have seen something similar here. The song has a mid-tempo pace, boring lyrics, and a meaningless-sounding instrumental.
The Tortured Poets Department:
This song really reminded me of the “Mariners Apartment Complex” by Lana Del Rey, but not as good. She explains in the song to her ex-lover that no one is going to love them like she did. I actually somewhat enjoy the chorus of the song, when she says “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots”. This is one of the rare times in this song where her figurative language is catchy likely on her past albums. It seems that not just on this song but on the whole album she is making things as poetic as possible, however, it is just not catchy and does not make sense. Like when she says “You fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever”.
My Boy…Down Bad/So Long, London
I personally love “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys.” I loved the concept of Taylor being a doll that people would look at, but this guy took her out of the box. One of the best choruses and bridges on the entire album. “Down Bad” was a song really did not like. She curses unnecessarily throughout the song. I found it interesting that Taylor admits that “everything comes out teenage petulance”, but it shocked me that she did not do anything to remedy this. There are other concepts of the album, like her struggles with fame, and the thought of someone new (Olivia Rodrigo) being better than her. It would have been better if she had gone into these ideas more. “So Long, London,” the quintessential Taylor Swift track 5 (which should have been loml), has a weird instrumentation like she is going on a run and the lyrics are just racing through her mind. However, Taylor does not stop running, there is not a change in instrumentation, and seemed unusually rushed though it’s over four minutes long.
But Daddy I Love Him/Fresh Out The Slammer
This seems to be an older more mature version of Taylor’s first hit song “Love Story.” Not only did “Love Story” have a better instrumentation and used the symbolism of being this novel kind of forbidden love. It also made more sense because at the time she was around 18 years old and living with her parents, now Taylor is a 34-year-old billionaire. In “Fresh Out The Slammer,” she describes getting out of relationships and wondering who she is going to call. This is a little odd because of Swift’s many songs explaining how hard it is to get over guys. Just like nearly all of the songs there really is no change in pace and seems a little one-dimensional.
Florida (feat. Florence + The Machine)/ Guilty As Sin?
While these songs sonically sound probably the best, with more of a rise and fall in the music, it has probably the worst topics on the album. “Florida,” for instance, is a song where she describes going to Florida to escape her worries. However, lyrically it seems like a Lana Del Rey song off the album Honeymoon. The feature is much more prevalent than the Post Malone song, however, this does not feel like the right song for Florence + The Machine vocals. “Guilty as Sin?” is a song where Taylor admits to wanting to cheat on her boyfriend. She explains because it did not happen then she can’t be guilty as sin. This is beyond hypocritical considering how many songs she has written bashing people for cheating (“Better than Revenge,” “Should’ve Said No”).
Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me/ loml
“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me,” is a good example of Taylor Swift, just being overdramatic and painting herself as a victim. I do not deny that fame affects some people like Britney Spears, there are people like Britney who have suffered and gone through way more. While she has gone through a lot over the years, the idea she describes as being raised in an asylum, when she grew up in a mansion with a Christmas tree farm and her parents protected her best interest. “Loml” on the other hand is easily my favorite and the best song of the album. One of Taylor’s best songs period, it is far sadder than something like “All Too Well.” Swift explains how she allowed herself to believe this man’s promises of marriage when there were signs to show her otherwise. The lyrics are poetic and make sense. Musically it is a simple piano ballad, but it really allows her lyrics to shine through.
I Can Do It With A Broken Heart/Clara Bow
These songs conceptually are quite good. However, the instrumentation is a little bit odd sounding in “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.” It sounds like the 1989 vault tracks or Midnights but it does not sound right for this song. In “Clara Bow,” Taylor sings about how the “it-girls” over the years have been replaced and compared to their predecessors. In the final verse, she says “You look like Taylor Swift, in this life. We’re loving it, you’ve got that edge she never did”. I think this is about Olivia Rodrigo, who is clearly the biggest young female artist, who already has records that Swift does not with only two albums.
Overall I think this is Taylor’s worst album since her debut. However, I think because of the Era’s tour and the level of success she is at now, Swift will receive little criticism. I think she has far better albums like Speak Now, Red, Lover, and Evermore to name a few. I think it would be a real shame to praise this when she was capable of so much more in the past.
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 