Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album on Apr.19 titled “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD). Swift explores a conglomeration of genres completely new to her like synth, while also staying true to genres she has completely perfected, like classic and indie pop.
The album has a total of 16 songs, with two featuring highly anticipated collaborations with Post Malone and Florence + the Machine.
On the night of the midnight release, Swift surprised fans with a 2 a.m. release of an additional 15 songs titled “The Anthology.”
As a lifelong fan of Swift, and an enthusiastic “Eras” attendant, this album was different than I had expected—not in a surprising way. Upon my initial listen to this album, it ultimately falls short as a result of long-windedness and harmonies, melodies and rhythms we have heard from Swift time and time again. The album is a whopping 31 songs, and only a few stick out to me.
Swift has built her reputation by embracing a new era, style and tone for each of her studio albums—each being inherently unique and individual from one another. This is not the case for TTPD. I feel as if I can pluck each song and place it into one of her previous albums and it would fit in.
According to a New Yorker article written by Amanda Petrusich, the album “suffers from being too long and too familiar,” and Petrusich comments on the writing and producing of the album stating, “The new songs suggest that after a decade, her partnership with Jack Antonoff have perhaps run its course.”
The lyrics at times feel random, ill-fitting and bewildering. This lacks the lyrical fidelity and cutting emotional elements present on Swift’s previous albums.
This, of course, does not come without exceptions. There are a few tracks of TTPD that truly stick out and are genuinely unique. The opening track, “Fortnight,” features an unexpected collaboration with rapper Post Malone and their chemistry results in a splendid blend of their voices and styles. Additionally, both songs “The Alchemy” and “The Black Dog” both provide a breath of fresh air by presenting a new style and tone that is unique to this album, while still retaining Swift’s acclaimed lyrical capabilities.
The album is available on all music streaming platforms and Swift has released music and lyric videos on YouTube.
