Deep Dive: Taylor Swift Part Eight (folklore)

    Taylor Swift's eight studio album, folklore, is a soft reset for the pop mogul. Switching lanes completely is not new to Swift as she had previously done it between her Red and 1989 albums. And she always does this chameleon trick to great success both critically, sonically, and commercially. folkore sees Swift abandon her top-40 sensibilities and create a record just for the critics. Absolutely delicious Grammy fodder. And it's fantastic. Let's listen to the stories and deep dive!

    We begin this journey into the folklore woods with "the 1." A piano heavy track with catchy lyrics at every twist and turn. "I'm doing good, I'm on some new sh*t/they're saying yes instead of no/I thought I saw you at the bus stop, I didn't though." 3 lines in and we already get characterization, plot, and conflict. The vocals here are just gorgeous. Swift may not be a Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston, but her vocal tone is so crystal and angelic. She's only improved as time has gone by too. "the 1" is characterized by its acoustic production that also has small tidbits of electronic elements sprinkled in. It's a spectacular opening for this set.

    Lead single, "cardigan," is the next track. There's nothing about this song that isn't gorgeous. The piano that drives the song is just stunning. The sparking electronic elements and echoes add a surreal quality here. The lyrics are of course a masterpiece, and are Swift at her most Swiftspeare. The imagery propels the tale. We get little glimpses of moments in an overarching love story here that is real. The thing about folklore is that it manages to strike this irresistible, cooperation of balance between lush and quiet. Given that it was appropriately released during the pandemic, it strikes a chord during those times and really speaks to that era. It's not got the crashes of reputation. It lacks the dream beats of its predecessor, Lover. And it's not even the rock-driven Speak Now. It's its own folk, acoustic, alternative sound that stands on its own proudly. This is best displayed here on "cardigan." 

    You can find theories about the subjects on this album for days. They still come out on Swift's subreddit at least once or twice a week about the album and its characters. Storytelling is perhaps the main draw here on folklore not that its music isn't equally thought inducing. The lyrics here beg for repeat listens, so you can find more clues. And you actually learn about real-life things! Thank you, Taylor Swift! This is seen on the third track, "the last great american dynasty," that tells the tale of Rebekah Harkness, a prior owner of one of Swift's homes. And its framed in gossip from the townspeople. Something that Swift, herself, can relate too. Musically, it's a soft banger that fits so well with the subject matter. Rebekah was the life of the party, and so is this song. 

    The next track, "exile," features the insanely talented and revered Bon Iver. It was once hard to imagine what a collaboration between these two would sound like, but they absolutely nail it and sound exquisite together. There are so many memorable lines here "I think I've seen this film before" is perhaps the best known. 

    "my tears ricochet" is blatantly about Swift and a guy whose name I won't mention. It's such a interestingly written track that is so clever. The funeral metaphors are pure perfection. And the music even sounds like funeral music with the organ. The electronic backing vocals add an iciness to this song that set the mood.

    

    

    "mirrorball" is a fan favorite that means so much to the fans. They often get tattoos of mirrorballs. Possibly due to it describes an experience of being a woman so well. And as with all the other tracks, the lyrics are clever and witty here. A quill pen song at its best carrying the heaviest emotional weight. 

    "seven" continues the mellow vibe. Swift is a poet and master of introspection through story. The imagery here fits the visuals of the album. The instrumentals are whimsical to match the lyrics.

    "august" is one of my favorite Swift songs. And it charts every August! Which is just so perennially cool. Possibly one of the records best songs to sing along to. It plays out like a movie in your head.

    "this is me trying" has many quotable moments and is the source of various inside jokes within the fandom. Just because it's so relatable and makes you say "damn. She just described me." Swift's partner-in-crime, Anotonoff continues his impressive production here.

    "illicit affairs" is a track that Swift penned with her then-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, and it's really cute to hear when she described the process of writing together with him while they were quarantined. Alwyn has cowriting credits on six songs here. You can just tell that Swift and Alwyn inspired each other during these songs as they all have such specifics about them that you don't find on the album's other tracks. 

    Speaking of collaborators, we are back at another Aaron Dessner produced track with "invisible string." The next track. Dessner and Swift worked together for the very first time on this album. I don't know if many people have listened to Dessner's band, The National, but folklore is a very National-esque album with perhaps a little more commercial appeal. Not that it being a little more commercial is a bad thing. I'd wager that folklore is a near perfect album without any weak spots. I think you can feel Dessner the most on this track, and he does what he does so very well. "invisible string" is just breathtaking. It can make you cry.

    "mad woman" is another fun tale. And another rocking feminist stance from Swift. Perhaps the most aggressive track on the album. Though sonically it feels just like a slightly stormy, rough sea just like a lot of the other tracks. 

    "epiphany" is another Swift and Dessner collaboration that sees the two unite their best efforts to great results. 

    Then we move into another greatly interesting track in "Betty." That continues the storyline of James and Betty. Two characters Swift created for the album. I love the earnestness of the song. And how genuine it is. And also! That a female is narrating a song in the point of view of a man. Which doesn't happen in English songs that often while they are a dime a dozen in Japan. I'd argue this is Swift's biggest risk taken on this record. It's also insanely catchy and really gets a conversation going. This song will be a classic in the future.

    "peace" is just a beautiful fan favorite. It's hard to believe we're 15 tracks deep and we still see such beauty. And that Swift released this highly-crafted album just 11 months after her previous effort, Lover. We can see that she was super excited and inspired by the material gathered here.

    "hoax" is the original album closer. And it does a good job at wrapping everything up. It pretty much gives an "in conclusion paragraph" to what we know, love, and learned from folklore. 

    Then we have the bonus track, "the lakes." Which is also an appropriate album ender. It's just a great song with engaging instrumentals. Swift and Antonoff tag team again here and we get pure magic. 

    In conclusion, Swift proves she's a genuine genius on folklore and that she's here to stay. And that she really can do anything. If anything, this album tore up the old floor and laid a new groundwork by polishing the original wood floors to become yet another career peak for Swift after the re-recordings and the mammoth that is Midnights. She even made the sister album, evermore, to quench fans' appetites after this legendary offering. Which we will be diving into next!

Rating: S Rank. I don't know anything, but I love you, folklore!

Recommendation: God forbid we have another pandemic, but if we did this would be the soundtrack for it again.

Standouts:

    the 1

    cardigan

    the last great american dynasty

    exile

    my tears ricochet

    august

    invisible string

    betty

    peace