It’s 10:59 p.m. on a Thursday night. All your friends have gone out, to sleep, or are at the library. You, on the other hand, are anxiously waiting for the clock to strike 11:00 pm. You’re not Cinderella, so you won’t be turning into a pumpkin, but something equally as life changing will happen–Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), will be released.
As a member of the “Swifties with a Toxic Ex Boyfriend” club, I was looking forward to TTPD. Most of the songs are rumored to be about Swift’s ex-boyfriends, Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy.
Overall, I really like this album. It’s a mix of the whimsical-indie vibes she explored during the folklore and evermore eras, while complementing the synth beats heard through 1989 (Taylor’s Version) and Midnights, finding a way to stay true to her blend of pop and country rooted music.
After the first listen, I thought the music was a little boring. I loved the lyrics but felt like the songs Jack Antonoff produced all sounded similar. They sound similar, but I’ve come around to it. Antonoff has a very marked style, especially when producing with Taylor Swift. After a few listens, I’ve come to realize that Swift’s gut wrenching, depressing lyrics pair with Antonoff’s vibey beats. The duo leaves me no choice but to both cry and dance around my kitchen.
The album started off strong with “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone. A standout lyric in this track for most listeners is “I love you / It’s ruining my life.” For me, the lyric “Your wife waters flowers / I wanna kill her.” really sticks with me. Taylor has released songs before about not being able to live a normal life, due to her level of fame. Notably, “peace” from her eighth album folklore is asking her partner–is my love enough, can you bear who I am and what I do? The line in “Fortnight” about wanting to kill her neighbor’s wife for watering flowers is her yearning for mundanity. She is so desperately in love, she is willing to give up her career and live a normal life.
Next is the title track, “The Tortured Poets Department.” This song is allegedly about Matty Healy, not Joe Alwyn. However, I think the song bounces between the two. Also, at the end of the day, does it matter who Swift is singing about? Unless it’s a cheesy love song about Travis Kelce, ala “So High School” and “The Alchemy,” I don’t care if it’s Joe or Matty. I am here for Taylor and Taylor only!
As with folklore, evermore, and even Midnights, not every Swiftie is going to fall in love with TTPD. I am a strong believer in having your own opinions, just because your favorite artist does something doesn’t mean you must automatically like it. It doesn’t make you less of a fan. TTPD is somehow very different and very similar to all her past work. It’s too cohesive but also nothing goes together. It’s repetitive without repeating itself. Some fans are saying this is Taylor’s attempt at being edgy, or it’s the beginning of a downward creativity spiral.
The album does seem very manic and a little all over the place, but I think that’s reflective of what Swift had gone through. Taylor suffered a public breakup with Joe Alwyn who allegedly cheated on her, then briefly dated the controversial Matty Healy, followed by her most public relationship yet with Travis Kelce. The vibe I have gathered from TTPD is Swift wanting to send a wittily crafted “f-you” to Alwyn and Healy. Songs like “Guilty as Sin?” “So Long, London” and “loml” really feel like entries from Swift’s diary that have been put to music.
My favorite track right now is “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” which is catchy and relatable. As someone who is known for being passionate, having strong opinions, and always standing my ground, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” speaks to me on a personal level. The message Swift is singing communicates her feelings of being told she’s too emotional, or too mean, but she’s only that way because she was driven to a point of not forgiving. However, that sweetness will always live inside of her.
The Tortured Poets Department will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is another soul project Taylor Swift wanted to share with her fans. I’m excited to have this album to grow with me; I think the relatability will be comforting as I experience the ups and downs of my ever-changing life.