“I cry a lot but I am so productive, it’s an art.”
This is a lyric from the song, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” by Taylor Swift that rings true amongst many, present company excluded—I have never described myself as a productive person.
Swift herself, however, was not joking around with this lyric, granted she released 31 brand-new songs for her fans to devour.
On April 19, Swift released not one, but two new albums, describing the situation as a “double album,” given that they are connected and a part of the same era in her career. First, at midnight, came THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT, which contained 16 brand-new songs. Then, at 2 a.m.—which I was awake at due to the various hints from Swift that more content was coming—she dropped THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY, containing another 15 songs.
Since these albums were released, I have found myself in a whirlwind of mixed feelings. There are songs on each that I love, I truly love; as for the songs that I was initially unsure of, each of them has either grown on me or grown away from me. The songs on the anthology have been pretty hit-or-miss for me, and I find myself listening to the same ones on repeat and avoiding the others.
The very first song that is not on the original album is “The Black Dog,” which had been previously announced as a deluxe track that would be released on a vinyl variant. At first, I only liked this song, but as time has gone on, I have become completely enamored with its lyrics, production, vocals, and everything in between. The emotion—I like to call it rage-sad, and I even have a playlist denoting it—that Swift is expressing is executed beautifully; from her scream-singing in the background vocals to the final, shaky note of the song, the listener can feel the indignant heartbreak.
Right after that is the song “imgonnagetyouback,” which has become a staple in my sun-soaked realm of music for summer. Swift craftily uses the juxtaposition of retaliation and yearning by employing the idea of getting someone back both romantically and vengefully. This concept is also utilized by singer Olivia Rodrigo in her song “get him back!” which many fans have noticed. Both songs tow the line between love and hate, with Swift’s seeming to lean more toward love and Rodrigo’s leaning more toward hate. Although Rodrigo’s was released first, I assume Swift wrote hers before that release, and while both songs are worthy additions to the albums they belong to, I prefer Swift’s lovestruck feeling more.
It’s hard to consider anything underrated when it comes from a global superstar with millions of fans, but “How Did It End?” comes close. Every line is devastatingly poetic, and the bridge of the song is one that describes grief in a haunting, terribly sad manner. The song is rather self-explanatory; Swift begs the question of how her relationship came to a close, insinuating that she was blindsided by its spontaneity.
One song that has garnered much attention on social media is “So High School.” When I first saw the title of this song, I didn’t know quite what to expect, but I thought I’d like it, being in high school and all. I figured it would be somewhat fun and youthful, and, given Swift is not in high school, describing some effervescent feeling, and I was not incorrect. This song is far more unserious than her usual melodies, and due to that, people who aren’t fans of her mocked it based on the critique that she is known as a gifted lyricist. I love this song, and I think its frivolous nature showcases her versatility as a songwriter. Although some of the lyrics are somewhat “cringe,” I don’t really care because not every song needs to be poetic perfection. I think the message is sweet and, again, lighthearted, providing an insight into the giddy youthfulness of her current relationship.
Following directly after, “I Hate It Here” was and is one of my immediate favorites. The themes of escapism, romanticism, and finding refuge within oneself hit home every time I listen. Her description of her escape as “secret gardens” and “lunar valleys” and all the other ways she characterizes her sanctuaries draw me right into the worlds she sings of.
Speaking of cringe lyrics, the next song is “thanK you aIMee.” I’ve hated this song ever since I first listened to it, although I don’t have a great reason why. It simply never clicked. This is 100% the boldest Swift has ever been in terms of song titles, with the capitalization serving as a direct reference to “KIM,” specifically, Kim Kardashian. The message isn’t terrible—Swift implores her listeners to look back with gratitude rather than shame when remembering times people have struck them down—but the execution was not on par with her other prose. The lyrics are cliche, and her use of the “high school bully” metaphor is all too overdone. The entire song feels like a rewrite of her 2010 hit “Mean,” but instead, it’s 14 years later and about an incident from 2016 regarding an edited phone call and an extremely offensive lyric in the song “Famous” by Kanye West, Kim’s (now ex) husband. Even though much of the online hate for this song comes from the fact that she is, once again, singing about old drama from 2016, I cannot harshly critique this aspect of the song because if I were her, I’d do the same—rehash old drama.
“The Prophecy” did not catch my attention immediately, but I soon did a double take when I realized just how deeply desolate and relatable the lyrics are. It’s a song about isolation and a craving for companionship, which hits home with so many people, making this song heart-wrenching and reminiscent of a personal attack.
One of the reasons I felt some of the tracks on the anthology fading away is that so many of them are piano ballads. “Cassandra,” “Peter,” and “Robin” are all so close to each other on the setlist, making them blend together and altogether forgettable during my first listen. However, in between the latter two sits “The Bolter,” providing a refreshing, different pace that I have loved since my first listen. The song’s energy is upbeat yet somewhat nostalgic with the way Swift tells a story within the verses.
“The Manuscript” is the perfect, flawless wrap-up to this 31-track album. With the final line of the song—and consequently, the album—being “Now and then I re-read the manuscript / But the story isn’t mine anymore,” Swift releases her stories into the world, creating closure and crafting it into one lyric to complete her collection of stories.
Listening to all of this new music at 2 a.m., after already forming opinions on the first half of the album, was rather shocking. Some of the songs stuck out in both positive and negative ways, and some of them struck out by fading into the background. Although many people are criticizing Swift for prioritizing quantity over quality, I still believe that she released 31 quality songs, even if not all of them were to my liking. Overall, some of these tracks probably could’ve been edited to sound more distinct, but none of them are abhorrently bad—even “thanK you aIMee” is loved by most fans. Her productivity cannot be doubted, and that’s why she manages to stay relevant in the 18th year of her music career.
