![]() First single “Cardigan” is told by Betty, whose disillusionment with James results in a sad, sensuous sound reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, down to the vocal style and casual lyrical quotation of another pop song. It has the youthful hope of a song like “ Wide Open Spaces,” yet is noticeably wiser ( and queerer) than the high school romances Swift wrote as an actual teenager. “ Betty” is the story of 17-year-old James trying to win back his girlfriend after cheating, a familiar crime rendered new by the narrator’s genuine remorse and belief in a love regained. With Folklore’s teen heartbreak trilogy, Swift circles the same affair from each party’s differing view. ![]() It sounds like the latter-day National/Taylor mashup you never knew you needed-textural and tastefully majestic, with Fitzgerald-esque lines about filling the pool with champagne instead of drinking all the wine. Swift cleverly draws a line between Harkness and herself at the end, an idea she fleshes out in a more literal sequel, “Mad Woman.” Out of all the songs on Folklore, “The Last Great American Dynasty” is the all-timer, the instant classic. ![]() In “The Last Great American Dynasty,” she tells the story of eccentric debutante Rebekah Harkness, who married into the Standard Oil family and once lived in Swift’s Rhode Island mansion, as a way to celebrate women who “have a marvelous time ruining everything.” Filled with historical details and Americana imagery, you can see the song play out in your mind like a storybook, but it also effectively makes a point about society’s treatment of brash women. Her words rise above the sparse pianos, moody guitars, and sweeping orchestration, as quotable as ever.Īfter years as pop’s most reliable first-person essayist, Swift channels her distinct style into what are essentially works of fiction and autofiction, finding compelling protagonists in a rebellious heiress and a classic teenage love triangle. It’s especially apparent on Folklore, where the production-mostly by Dessner, with Jack Antonoff’s pop flair occasionally in the mix-is more minimal than she typically goes for. You can tell that this is what drives Swift by the way she molds her songs: cramming specific details into curious cadences, bending the lines to her will. While it’s true that Folklore pushes the limits of Swift’s sound in a particular, perhaps unexpected direction, her reference points feel more like mainstream “indie” homage than innovation, taking cues from her collaborators’ work and bits of nostalgia.Īt its best, Folklore asserts something that has been true from the start of Swift’s career: Her biggest strength is her storytelling, her well-honed songwriting craft meeting the vivid whimsy of her imagination the music these stories are set to is subject to change, so long as it can be rooted in these traditions. There are those who already dislike Folklore on principle, who assume it’s another calculated attempt on Swift’s part to position her career as just so (how dare she) meanwhile, fans will hold it up as tangible proof that their leader can do just about anything (also a stretch). Folklore will forever be known as Taylor Swift’s “indie” album, a sweater-weather record released on a whim in the blue heat of this lonely summer, filled with cinematic love songs in search of a film soundtrack.
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