As much as her pop-star status has clung to her for the past decade, Taylor Swift cements herself as a developed vocalist and songwriter in her tenth full-length studio album, “Midnights.”
Swift has captivated her audiences once more with the audibly pleasant and emotionally charged songs of her new release. The album sticks to her past works’ themes of romance and relationships, without the heavily pop-centered beats and mixing to accompany. Instead, she addresses more intimate aspects of her romantic life and provides a mixture of sounds, both new and old, which come together to create a different listening experience entirely.
The album starts off strong with the currently second most streamed song, “Lavender Haze.” This track retains a sound characteristic of past works such as “1989,” with airy, ambient vocals layered on top of a vibrant beat. That familiar Swift sound is present, yet the addition of something new brings listeners into the album.
“Maroon” takes a downward turn emotionally into the depths of a failed relationship, and pairs that feeling aptly with a slowed beat and a cadence which fulfils those somber notions. The verses are soft and delicate; juxtaposed with a chorus that evokes a frustrated, angered tone, This creates a wonderful embodiment of that very maroon love she is describing.
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on the “Tonight Show,” Swift described her autobiographical release as “soft and fragile,” and such a description takes shape fully in “Snow On The Beach.” The first track to feature another artist, Lana Del Rey. It takes major strides towards embodying one of many “sleepless nights,” as Swift herself denotes. The sound of this track is like those prior, but the narrative being told is what makes it stand out among the rest. She steadily describes an impossible love, comparing it to “snow on a beach,” and details the fleeting nature of a love thought to be true.
“Midnight Rain” interjects with an experimental opener and chorus, with vocals being pitched down, quivered and layered below the beat itself. This track sounds ethereal and almost surrounds the listener from every direction – gliding from pitch to pitch. The narrative shifts too, as Swift describes someone she took for granted. Usually, her songs either depict a passion so exhilarating or a love failed by another, so this change in tone is a new, even refreshing topic for fans to hear.
Skipping ahead a few tracks, “Vigilante Shit” discusses a reprimanding of passed lovers and an urge to seek revenge. The statement “I don’t care” would most accurately describe her tone throughout the track. The title is a self-explanatory hint to the contents of this song, and the 808 heavy beat mirrors those vengeful feelings.
“Bejeweled” follows with a synth-heavy beat and has Swift describing how her looks attract a certain type of person– one she doesn’t affiliate with. Her songwriting shines through in this track, as well, and an almost humorous tone is taken to describe the comedic nature of her love-life.
“Labyrinth” is one of my favorite tracks of the album. Swift’s vocals are light and pleasant, carrying a saddened tone, and describes the metaphorical maze a relationship poses in her life. While not the most up-beat listen, this song demonstrates Swift’s expert capabilities in the areas of singing and songwriting.
Swift makes clear to the world of music that her abilities continue to progress, and that she can continue to deliver thoughtful, masterful works. Her impactful songwriting comes to fruition in her tenth release, with an emotionally packed, engaging sound to follow. She has proved herself again as more than just a music veteran whose days of recording are long passed. Every new album has fans counting down the days until her next release, but for now, there is no shortage of Swift to enjoy.
Aiden Veselits can be reached at [email protected]