Taylor Swift’s folklore: A Venture Into Alternative
In the middle of this Cruel Summer, Taylor Swift decided to bless us with a surprise album on the 23rd of July, not even letting her 7th studio album ‘Lover’ breathe for a year. Titled ‘folklore’, an indie alternative album filled with some of her best songs of her entire career characterised by elegant, distressing lyrics; adventurous, grandiose sounds and a parade of her well-crafted, piercing story telling. Infamous for not settling on one genre, Swift once again didn’t fail to sweep listeners off their feet by switching to electro-folk and chamber pop, leaving her upbeat synth-pop and country roots behind.
Working closely with Aaron Dessner, guitarist of The National, she co-wrote eleven of the album’s sixteen tracks with him. Jack Antonoff, William Bowery and Bon Iver composed the remaining five tracks with her. After polishing seven to eight tracks off her record, she explained to her producers the idea of the anthology; describing it as “wistful and full of escapism” and unfolded that vivid, crystal clear imagery heavily influenced her music. To me, it seems like she wrote the songs as rain poured outside her window, pumpkin spice candles lit, the wax melting and carefully deposing itself along the pages of a gothic tragic classic, Wuthering Heights perhaps. In her prologue she elaborates, “In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory.”
Primarily influenced by her constant conviction by the media (in ‘mad woman’ and ‘peace’), toxic relationships and tension (‘hoax’ as a prime example) and the incorporation of a teenage love triangle (‘betty’, ‘august’ and ‘cardigan’), she showed off her passion for writing by opening up and taking roles of 16 different protagonists for 16 distinct songs, written from 16 distinguished perspectives. Collaborating with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) on ‘exile’, they created a melancholic ballad which reminded me of ‘The Last Time’ from her 2012 album: Red. The whole album sounds like a Taylor Swift album but so different from anything else she’s done before. An icon for stylistic restlessness, she continues to explore her potential in different genres of music, gradually conquering every single one. An autumn album is what I’d describe this piece of art as the sadness, the melancholy, the goosebumps are something I closely relate to the fall season. Far from mediocrity, her expertise in lyrics and melody shine bright amongst the dull, bewitching, eerie aura of the album. Detail-oriented as she always has been, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find an easter egg 10 years down the line, somewhere amongst her libretto. Compilations of strings, percussion, piano, glossy harmonies and buoyant tones expressing comfort and heartache at the same time exhibiting vulnerability, sanguinity and innocence makes me wonder: what can this 10 time Grammy winner not do?
Reflecting on her intimate, alluring talent of song-writing and story-telling accompanied by stunning, dazzling vocals, she handcrafted this ravishing, aesthetic selection of songs which happen to be sonically, lyrically and melodically cohesive. It permits the listener to visualise the concepts and fall in love with the details and the minute, hidden background beats and vocals too. Heaven would be an understatement to describe where this album lets me slip away to. Song after song, this record made me smile, cry and it was as if I could sense the characters’ feelings, stronger than my own at one point. Truly phenomenal. Fresh. Show stopping. Brilliant. Taylor Swift.
Rating: 4.75/5