Taylor Swift - Folklore

Taylor Swift had expected to be taking her 'Lover Fest' show on a global tour this summer – including headlining at Glastonbury and in London's Hyde Park. But, like most of the rest of the world, the singer has been in lockdown with time on her hands. “Most of the things I had planned this year haven't happened,” Taylor Swift says. “But there's one good thing I hadn't planned that has happened - and that's a new album, 'Folklore'. It is a set of original songs - whims, dreams, fears and musings - which I wrote in three months and recorded with some amazing guest artists from alternative music. It has a different feel from what I've done before and is soft and subtle. A Taylor Swift album like no other, in fact.” This is a fair description. As its title suggests, 'Folklore' does have some quite folksy moments though the overall sound is closer to 21st century indie rock. The new collaborators include Aaron Dessner of The National who has co-written or produced 11 of the 16 tracks – his brother Bryce supplies orchestration. Arrangements are subdued compared with Taylor Swift's usual standards but the album feels commercial, nevertheless. The songs are well-structured and tuneful and she duets well with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon on the powerful ballad, 'Exile'. Taylor Swift's PR team assure us that she is in a contented relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn (subject of the 'London Boy' track on last album, 'Lover') but the material on 'Folklore' includes themes of deceit and regret. The album plays over an hour - and maybe it could have been cut back a little. But the feeling here is that Taylor Swift is acting rather more spontaneously. She has done brilliantly as a pop star over the past decade and now perhaps 'Folklore' will strengthen Taylor Swift's credentials as a singer-songwriter with greater range and credibility

Track Listing:-

1 the 1
2 cardigan
3 the last great american dynasty
4 exile [feat. Bon Iver]
5 my tears ricochet
6 mirrorball
7 seven
8 august
9 this is me trying
10 this is me trying
11 invisible string
12 mad woman
13 epiphany
14 betty
15 peace
16 hoax