Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT was released yesterday, April 19th, at 12 PM Philippine Time.
Fans, as well as the music scene as a whole, were buzzing with excitement and anticipation on social media before and after the first few moments of the record officially being in the public’s hands. Swifties, well known as Swift’s ever so loyal fanbase, expressed thoughts and theories right away.
The indulgence of the initial record consisting of 16 songs was short-lived due to a surprise pulled off by Swift two hours in, she announced that THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT was actually a double album. Hence, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY was made public, upping the entire record’s song count to 31. So, is the two-hour long album really worth a listen?
Swift’s reputation of putting out music revolving around her past relationships was clearly evident in songs such as ‘So Long, London’, ‘But Daddy I Love Him’, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, ‘Down Bad’ and ‘Guilty as Sin?’. Within the months before the release date, fans had speculated most of the songs were going to be about English actor Joe Alwyn, whom Swift had been dating for six years before separating in April of 2023.
However, that wasn’t the case; in May 2023, The 1975 front man Matty Healy’s romantic relationship with Swift went public, causing criticism from supporters of both parties. Lyrics such as ‘I scratched your head, you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever’, and ‘“Stay away from her”, the saboteurs protested too much’ suggest that Healy was the subject of multiple songs, given that majority of Swift’s fan base does not approve of the pair.
Produced by Jack Antonoff, the well-known artist behind the production of Swift’s craft, had raised mixed opinions about the overall ambience of the record, with the usage of synth and piano melodies. Some would agree, some beg to differ, but it’s hardly noticeable when you pay more attention to Swift’s storytelling throughout 31 songs. Heck, some would say there are an abundance of references from past albums such as reputation, 1989, and Lover.
Swift had also collaborated with American rapper and artist Post Malone on ‘Fortnight’ and English indie rock band Florence + The Machine on ‘Florida!!!’.
So, who is the song for? Swift had stated that she had been writing for two years, and anyone would agree that it has been a rollercoaster ride for the singer-songwriter ever since. Fans suggested that there are songs about Joe Alwyn, Matty Healy, Travis Kelce, takes on her fans’ involvement with her romantic life, as well as a personal view of her life as a public figure. In short, it’s about everything, and it’s disorganized in the best way.
If you want to “feel something” and be cheesy for a while, give it a listen, and vice versa. Not all people will be enthralled by Swift’s storytelling or even her image as a whole, with the rising view of treating art solely for marketing purposes, so take this review with a grain of salt.
About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
