Written by Anna Porter. Image by Anna Porter.
We met Taylor Swift at midnight for her much-anticipated tenth studio album, “Midnights,” a few weeks ago on Oct. 21. Now that we’ve had a few weeks to process the album and form our opinions on the tracklist, here’s a formal review.
A lot of the anticipation around “Midnights” was about what its overall sound would be. Many fans expected a continuation of the “Folklore” and “Evermore” vibe, others were hoping for Swift to enter her alternative rock era and the most common prediction was for the album to be a soft rock sound, based around the dark, sparkly visuals of the album’s cover art. What we got was a return to Taylor Swift’s pop music, and many people have described “Midnights” as a mixture of “1989”, “Reputation” and “Lover.”
Throughout the album, you’ll hear synth-pop sounds produced by Jack Antonoff and dark, vengeful tones, wrapped up in sweet lyrics about Swift’s current happy relationship with her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. “Folklore” and “Evermore” fans were happy to hear some songs in the 3am version of the album that were produced by Aaron Dessner, which included “High Infidelity,” “The Great War” and “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.”
The album received the most streams on Spotify for an album in one day thanks to Swift’s loyal fans. Soon after its’ release, Rolling Stones gave “Midnights” a score of 100 and categorized it as an instant classic, and ten of the songs stayed in the top ten of Billboard’s Hot 100 for the two weeks after its release.
Let’s dig a little bit deeper into some of the songs and lyrics of “Midnights.” The overall theme of the album breaks through to Taylor Swift’s more vulnerable side. The album discusses Swift’s opposition to the media’s constant opinions on her private life. She sings in “Lavender Haze,” “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say.” We also hear about Swift’s insecurities and anxieties and her inner dialogue that often sabotages her. In the song “Anti-Hero,” she sings, “I wake up screaming from dreaming // One day, I’ll watch as you’re leaving,” revealing some of her deepest fears.
Many songs on the album tell more stories about Swift’s previous relationships. “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” gives us a look into her relationship with John Mayer and how much the age gap affected her as a nineteen-year-old. The song says, “And if I was some paint, did it splatter // On a promising grown man? // And if I was a child, did it matter // If you got to wash your hands?”
But the overarching theme, similar to Swift’s eighth album, “Lover,” seems to be her present happiness in her current, more private relationship. This theme is carried out through many songs, including “Sweet Nothing.” “Outside they’re pushin’ shovin’ // You’re in the kitchen hummin’,” Swift sings. “Sweet Nothing” parallels the song “Call It What You Want” from “Reputation,” where she explains how happy she is to be in a more private relationship.
The positive response to the album has labeled “Midnights” one of Taylor Swift’s best and most mature pieces thus far in her career, and fans and critics can agree that she is a musical mastermind.