“Lover” Rings Discordant, but Resurrects the Old Taylor “Lover” Rings Discordant, but Resurrects the Old Taylor

“Lover” rings discordant, but resurrects the old Taylor “Lover” rings discordant, but resurrects the old Taylor graphic by Nina Li Taylor Swift is the kind of celebrity that needs no introduction. Since 2006 with Taylor Swift, she has topped the charts and won awards, planting her securely in the realm of unforgettable musicians. Her name has come to be synonymous with a certain genre: love songs. In her seventh album, Lover, Swift fully embraces that brand with a maturity and honesty that is missing from her earlier albums. The old Taylor appears to have come back to life for Lover. The darker persona she adopted for Reputation has faded into pastels and glitter — which isn’t a bad thing. While Lover lacks auditory unity over its long run (at 18 tracks, it’s her longest yet), Swift crafts a powerful and beautiful statement — she chooses to love. Lover shows a complete turnaround from her last album, Reputation, released two years prior. Instead of addressing hate and bad public image, Swift instead returns to the love songs that vaulted her into fame in the first place. From the very first track, she rejects the idea that this album is about someone else. “I Forgot That You Existed” is a sassy takedown of anyone claiming that this album is petty or spiteful. But she doesn’t linger on that, transitioning to “Cruel Summer,” an upbeat song about a failing romance. Strangely, the contrast works; “Cruel Summer” is one of the strongest tracks on the album. The fierce lyricism that is a theme with Swift is showcased here with vivid imagery and evocative language. The sound shifts again with the eponymous “Lover.” Sweet and soft, the titular track is almost a callback to earlier tunes like “Our Song” off of Taylor Swift with a simpler melody and meaningful lyrics. It’s personal, a love song in the purest sense of the word. She follows it up with “The Man,” a feminist takedown of the double standards in the music industry and beyond. While the message is solid, this song falls flat vocally and feels out of place among the other romantic tracks. Instead of a song about love, it feels like a (albeit valid) critique of society. With a few sound adjustments, it might have fit better on Reputation. “The Archer” is an ultimately forgettable song, which is a shame. The lyrics are some of her most profound on the album, but the song itself drags, and the soft synths aren’t enough to grab the attention of the listener. “I Think He Knows,” which comes next, is the quintessential love song that is so emblematic of Swift. The chorus shows off the higher end of her range, while the bridge shows her writing ability. The bold beat keeps the song on track and gives the listener something to dance along to. “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince” is a standout song without a doubt. With a high school setting reminiscent of her 2008 hit “You Belong With Me,” it dramatizes a dark love “Lover” rings discordant, but resurrects the old Taylor story, with a heavy dose of criticism for the hypocrites of the world. Under the shiny surface and cheerleader calls, Swift hides a deeper and sadder meaning. The combination of the melodramatic lyrics and the strong instrumental make this one of the best songs on Lover. “Paper Rings” follows it with a faster beat and a happier meaning. It’s true love story to an imperfect relationship, a story about choosing to fall in love with someone again every single day, despite everything. Under the pop exterior, it’s deeply sincere. The sound shifts almost jarringly with “Cornelia Street,” slowing down to near-depressing. “Cornelia Street,” while beautifully lyrical in the storytelling style of songs like “Love Story,” runs long and repetitive. It’s an honest song about the anxieties and fears of being in a relationship that could end, but the instrumental could be elevator music. “Death By A Thousand Cuts” is the classic Taylor Swift breakup song that no album of hers is complete without. Unlike some of her earlier ones, this track rings with maturity and not blame. The good lyrics and catchy tune make this one a hit. In contrast, “London Boy” is catchy, but vapid and ultimately forgettable. It presents an idealized version of London clearly written by an American, almost to the point of ridiculousness. Featuring the Dixie Chicks, “Soon You’ll Get Better” is an emotional track that, when put in the context of Swift’s mother’s cancer diagnosis, is one of the rawest songs on the album. A throwback to her country roots, Swift dives deep into herself and her feelings for this love song to her mother. It’s hopeful, because Swift refuses to let it be anything else. However, its placement is completely random, because it’s sandwiched between two more energetic (and less serious) tracks, “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and “False God.” The latter, a minor-keyed combination of religious metaphors and sexual references (reminiscent in subject matter of Halsey’s “Young God,” if more about love than pure lust), is a vocally unimpressive and saxophone-heavy song that doesn’t add much to the album. “You Need To Calm Down” is a fairly political song, with heavy LGBT+ themes. The writing, however, is the worst of any track. The slant rhymes are forced and, compared to Swift’s normally impressive lyrics, disappointing. The vocals and instrumental are catchy, but the song itself is kitschy. The LGBT+ aspect feels forced and tokenistic, as well as too little, too late in terms of advocacy and support. Why this song was chosen as a single is unclear; it’s fairly weak compared to the others. “Afterglow” falls in the same trap of cliche as some others on the album, without the beautiful lyrics to redeem it. The minimal backing lets the listener focus on the vocals, but there’s no point in that; it’s boring and skippable. “ME!” is another low point on the album. The lyrics are cringey and all over the place. Swift tries to pack too much — a big band “Lover” rings discordant, but resurrects the old Taylor sound, a collaboration with Brendon Urie, and a bizarre bridge — in one song and it doesn’t work. The steel drums on “It’s Nice To Have A Friend” give the track a dreamlike feel, an almost eeriness that meshes well with the simpler melody. It’s a sweet and simple love story, no complications, no twists. The beauty is there, but it gets lost in the louder sounds of the album. “Daylight” is a song Swift writes chiefly for herself. It’s personal, truthful, and hopeful. She reflects on her own life, not shying away from her mistakes, but does not linger on the bad. She ends the song with a message: we are what we love. It’s a fitting end to Lover and ties the album up neatly. While Lover doesn’t always hit the right notes (the track order, in particular, leaves something to be desired), it is authentically and unapologetically Swift. It reads like a peek into Swift’s diary, to her honest and uncensored thoughts. And in her thoughts, Swift chooses love. She chooses to put aside snakes and revenge and blame to just love. And that’s what makes Lover her best album yet. .

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