To be quite honest, I am a big Taylor Swift fan. I've been listening to her songs for as long as I can remember. In fact, I strongly believe that one of the first things I remember hearing (ever) was the song "You Belong With Me" from Taylor's sophomore album: "Fearless."

As much as I want to talk about my love and admiration for Swift, my purpose in writing this article is to review/react to her ninth studio album, "evermore," also known as the sister album of "folklore" (Swift's 8th studio album).

Let's not waste time. 

Track 1: "willow"

You must be thinking, "Wow! Taylor really just named the first track of her new album after a sad tree," but with her visually beautiful music video paired with a simple guitar riff and incredibly profound lyrics, Swift manages to immediately draw in her audience with each note. Additionally, fans of AP Environmental Science might enjoy this track for its use of nature as metaphors. 

Me: "You changed my life."

Taylor Swift: "Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind.”

Track 2: "champagne problems".

"champagne problems" shares the story of a person who turned down their significant other's proposal to marriage. It's not the most relatable song for most of us but I'll be honest: this is the saddest, most tragic song I've ever heard. I highly don't recommend listening to this song and "driver's license" by Olivia Rodrigo back to back. Take my word for it.

Track 3: "gold rush"

This is a mood shift if I've ever seen one. If you want to feel like you're on top of the world and if you want a confidence boost for days, here's your chance. This song sounds like gold: it's full of dreamy melodies paired with a light yet impactful percussion. The chorus shifts gears into something called Mixolydian mode which basically means very, very cool. If you're really interested in this altered version of the major scale, I encourage you to read more about it here (they give a really nice explanation of it). 

I won't go over each track, don't worry, but the versatility of the first three tracks should be enough to appeal to a large audience. Fans of Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde, Bon Iver, Lana Del Ray, Harry Styles, Conan Gray, The National, and so many more will settle right into the album. Furthermore, fans of all genres will certainly find at least one song they connect with.  

Throughout her career, Taylor has gone from being America’s favorite country girl to a precedent-setting pop star but with the releases of “folklore” and “evermore”, she has proved herself to simply be a storyteller. The subtle releases and impersonal yet imaginative narratives of Swift’s songs go to prove that more than a celebrity, she is a musician. 

And this passion for her music has certainly shone through to the audience and critics. Her last two albums have made her the biggest female artist of 2020 according to Billboard and have broken several records in the music industry in just the past year. 

If you want to know more about Taylor Swift’s journey through the past 15 years, I highly recommend watching the “Miss Americana” documentary on Netflix. Her career trajectory is a fascinating one to learn about, whether you want to pursue music or not. 

Finally, if there’s anyone who would like to rate Swift’s songs, albums, and/or cats with me, you know where to find me.

"evermore" Tracklist:

1. willow

2. champagne problems

3. gold rush

4. tis' the damn season

5. tolerate it

6. no body, no crime

7. happiness

8. dorothea

9. coney island (feat. The National)

10. ivy

11. cowboy like me

12. long story short

13. marjorie

14. closure

15. evermore (feat. Bon Iver)

16. right where you left me - bonus track

17. it's time to go - bonus track