Taylor Swift: Midnights

On August 28, 2022, pop wunderkind and songstress Taylor Alison Swift graced the VMA’s stage, accepting the Best Music Video award for her short film "All Too Well". As she was handed the silver astronaut, she told the crowd that if she won the award, the name and date of her next album would be revealed. After the show, her Instagram was reborn in a dream of dark blue and stars, declaring that there is a new age, a new era for ‘Swifties’. This new era was the era of Midnights.

’The general consensus for Midnights was positive, but considering it came out of nowhere, some Central Swifties felt a little blindsided.

‘No, I did not expect [Midnights]. I was expecting next 1989, Taylor’s Version, and I am disappointed that that is not coming out but I am very excited for the new material.’ says Maddie Bigler, a junior at Central and self-described ‘Super-Swiftie’

This is not what people expected of Taylor. Many on the internet believed that she was to announce her third re-recorded album, most likely either Speak Now from 2010 or 1989 from 2014. It seemed that the clothes she was wearing and the hints she was dropping meant that this outcome was in the cards. But no one expected this: a new album with 13 brand new songs written at various times throughout her illustrious career.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the 13 tracks on the 10th Taylor Swift album, Midnights.

Track #1: Lavender Haze- A synth-pop mid-tempo jam, similar to her 1989 era with the 80s-inspired beat and instrumentation. The lyrics speak of a time when one is falling in love and uncaring of what the world expects of you in said relationship.

Track #2 Maroon- A slow, alluring song that reminds me of the reputation era, with the droning bass and heavy drums.

Track #3: Anti-Hero- A reverb-heavy lyrical song that continues the theme of synth-heavy 80s-inspired pop after the last two songs. I will admit that the lyrics of the bridge are quite strange, although still entertaining.

Track #4: Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Ray)- This song sounds like it belongs in either folklore or evermore. Del Ray and Swift’s voices work so well together in this breathy, airy song that is perfectly crafted. A personal favorite so far.

Track #5: You’re On Your Own, Kid- I can’t explain it, but this song is ‘RED-coded’. The melancholy lyrics about falling for someone who doesn’t notice you are touching and reminiscent of an earlier time in Swift’s career. I can’t wait for this song to be in a coming-of-age movie trailer.

Track #6: Midnight Rain- A chilled techno beat with poppy synth and what I can only describe as ‘alien sounds’. I honestly don’t enjoy the strange slowed section, but besides that, this song is really vibey and fun.

Track #7: Question... ?- This song uses a sample from "Out of the Woods", confirming the theory in my mind that this album is a backward re-recording of 1989. My jaw literally dropped at the beginning of this song.

Track #8: Vigilante Shit- reputation vibes, immediately. A dark, antagonistic song with lyrics about revenge and possibly alluding to Taylor Swift as Batman? (Due to Zoe Kravitz of ‘The Batman’ having multiple songwriting credits on this album)

Track #9: Bejeweled- A sparkly, Lover-ish song complete with a couple of instances of cheerleader-style chanting of the word ‘Nice!’, similar to that of 'Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince'

Track #10: Labyrinth- This song is a perfect marriage of Swift’s angelic singing and the pounding bass that she’s used in every Midnight song before. This song feels like 'The Archer' and "my tears ricochet" had a beautiful child. With the addition of a church organ and what seems like Swift’s voice as percussion, this is my personal standout for the album.

Track #11: Karma- This bubble-gum pop song is a return to form for Swift, with mean girl-style lyrics and intense metaphors.

Track #12: Sweet Nothing-This gentle, swingy song reminds me of 'seven' from folklore. There is a certain smiley quality about this song that makes it feel like a lullaby, or perhaps a father-bride dance for a Swiftie wedding.

Track #13: Mastermind- This song has a similar theme to 'invisible string', but with a more intense and dark edge to it. It also feels like a personal love song for swifties, who have had to deal with Swift’s endless easter eggs for years.

Overall, this album speaks of a time that Swifties haven’t had in over two years, a time in which Taylor is writing her personal feelings, thoughts, and truths into her journal and making them into best-selling hits. Although Folklore and evermore are great albums, they do not let us into the private life of one of the most recognizable faces in music. I would give this album an 9/10, but that is purely because of my taste and what of Taylor’s music I’ve enjoyed in the past.