{"id":454,"date":"2019-09-18T09:13:05","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T13:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/?p=454"},"modified":"2019-09-25T09:46:29","modified_gmt":"2019-09-25T13:46:29","slug":"lover-a-nightmare-dressed-like-a-daydream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/lover-a-nightmare-dressed-like-a-daydream\/","title":{"rendered":"Lover: A Nightmare Dressed Like a Daydream"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Taylor Swift Releases Seventh Studio Album, Lover<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kate Casper<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The first two singles released for the album had all the whim and excitement that one would expect from a Disney Channel Original movie–the songs were lyrically shallow and sounded ditzy and obnoxious. Most importantly, what was lacking was the vulnerable authenticity that Swift has become known for. \u201cME!\u201d and \u201cYou Need to Calm Down\u201d in particular lacked this quality. While there seemed to be a major disconnect with these singles, they are no indicator of the well-executed pieces featured in \u201cLover.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\tThe highly-anticipated 18-track album introduces political themes, stories of infatuation and longing, and striking imagery and symbols carefully laced throughout. In Swift\u2019s previous album, she introduced blue imagery to symbolize her real-life \u201cLover\u201d Joe Alwyn through the lyrics, \u201cocean blue eyes\u201d in \u201cGorgeous.\u201d This element is continued in several songs in \u201cLover\u201d where Swift affectionately associates Alwyn with blue, whether it be his \u201cfaded blue jeans\u201d or the blue feeling she gives him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, Swift introduces elements of activism in her new album. The socio-political overtones of songs like “You Need to Calm Down” and “The Man” may have come as a surprise to fans, as Swift has been critiqued for not being vocal on political issues in the past. In these songs, Swift advocates for equal rights and treatment for LGBTQ people (\u201cYou Need to Calm Down\u201d) and women (\u201cThe Man\u201d). In the music video for \u201cYou Need to Calm Down\u201d, Swift even includes a link to the Equality Act. Thematically, these songs feel somewhat out of place when followed by classic \u201cT-Swift\u201d love songs, but the astounding response from fans as Swift accepted the VMA award for Song of the Year in August seems to make up for this discrepancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\tThe first track of the album, \u201cI Forgot That You Existed\u201d details a relieved Swift moving on from a former love. The verses have a good beat, but the chorus feels anticlimactic and boring, with a beat drop followed by music that sounds like it came from a royalty free catalog. Some of the lyrics are spoken, which adds a comedic flare, but the giggles throughout the chorus feel like a major misstep. They were unnecessary, distracting, and awkward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\t\u201cDeath by a Thousand Cuts\u201d was similarly disappointing. The story feels generic and surface-level. The overused \u201cDeath by a Thousand Cuts\u201d idiom repeated throughout the song does not make up for the mediocre verses and chorus. The one redeeming quality of the song is the bridge, which features beautiful metaphors, rhymes, and elements of alliteration, as illustrated in lyrics like, \u201cOur country, guess it was a lawless land,\u201d or \u201cPaper cut stings for our paper thin-plans.\u201d Unfortunately, the bridge sounds more powerful than the actual chorus, so the buildup feels like a deadend. Although the song is generally boring, there are some revealing lyrics that highlight Swift\u2019s vulnerability in her songwriting, with one standout line being, \u201cTryna find a part of me that you didn\u2019t touch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\tEqually boring songs from \u201cLover\u201d include \u201cIt\u2019s Nice to have a Friend\u201d and \u201cDaylight.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s Nice to have a Friend\u201d is wholesome and romantic, but generally exhausting to listen to; it felt like it drags on forever with worthless surface-level lyrics. \u201cDaylight\u201d, which Swift revealed was considered to be the title of the album, is an angelic beautiful song, however, it is totally forgettable. While \u201cAfterglow\u201d, the 15th track, has a similar sound to \u201cDaylight\u201d, the lyrics and production value are much stronger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, \u201cCruel Summer\u201d is a classic feel-good pop song. Reminiscent of songs from Swift\u2019s previous album \u201cReputation\u201d, released in 2017, the song follows Swift falling in love with someone new and the emotions that come with it. In the pre-chorus, the lyrics say, \u201cDevils roll the dice \/ Angels roll their eyes\u201d, alluding that bad ones take risks, while good ones scoff and play things safe…Taylor is taking a risk on this relationship, but the bright chorus indicates to the listener that this is a happy song, not a cautionary tale. The melody is fantastic and the lyrics actually feel meaningful and purposeful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is just one problem: Some of the rhymes are lazy and sloppy. In the chorus, \u201ccruel Summer\u201d is rhymed with \u201cooh whoa oh,\u201d which is disappointing coming from a 10-time Grammy award-winning artist. Despite this, the song is well-crafted with clever lyrics and a defined tone and mood. The Summer imagery introduced in \u201cCruel Summer\u201d is also continued in the flagship love song \u201cLover\u201d with the lyrics, \u201cI\u2019ve loved you three Summers now honey, but I want them all.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A nod to Swift\u2019s country roots, \u201cLover\u201d is a romantic no-frills love song illustrating an adoring relationship. In the verses, Swift asks, \u201cHave I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?\u201d, revealing to the listener that this love is timeless. In the second verse, Swift portrays a realistic fear in any relationship with the lyrics, \u201cAnd I\u2019m highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you.\u201d Up until this point, the song seemed to paint an idealistic picture of the \u201cperfect\u201d couple, which is contrasted by these refreshingly relatable lyrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the bridge, Swift sings, \u201cWith every guitar string scar on my hand \/ I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover\u201d, playing into the wedding\/marriage themes throughout the album. Here, she is announcing her willingness to settle down with her \u201clover\u201d, with the \u201cguitar string scar\u201d line referring to Swift\u2019s previous conquests she so infamously has written songs about. Finally, \u201cCan I go where you go?\u201d in the chorus reestablishes a classic Taylor Swift theme, a fear of being left behind, which is continued in \u201cThe Archer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both \u201cThe Archer\u201d and \u201cLover\u201d complement each other incredibly well, with distinctive thematic parallels. In the chorus, Swift sings, \u201dWho could ever leave me darling? But who could stay?\u201d It seems she is constantly battling this overly confident borderline-arrogant feeling about who she is and what she deserves against her deepest fear of being alone. She is scared that the person assumed to be her \u201cforever and ever\u201d (\u201cLover\u201d) will leave her or get bored of her. In the \u201cReputation\u201d-era track \u201cNew Year\u2019s Day\u201d, Swift hints at this theme, as she pleads, \u201cPlease don\u2019t ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCornelia Street\u201d continues this theme, as Swift uses a street to represent her nostalgia for a former relationship. In an interview with Elvis Duran, Swift said, \u201cIt\u2019s about the things that took place, the memories that were made on that street.\u201d In the chorus, Swift sings, \u201cI\u2019d never walk Cornelia Street again \/ That\u2019s the kinda heartbreak time could never mend.\u201d While the concept of the song is not overly original, the relatability of the story and the artistry of the actual music supersedes that aspect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a drastic tone-shift, \u201cThe Man\u201d is an out-of-place cringe-enducing feminist anthem.  In an interview for CBS, Swift explains that there is a different vocabulary for men and women in the music industry, saying, \u201cA man does something–it\u2019s strategic. A woman does the same thing–it\u2019s calculated.\u201d While this statement is very telling of the tendencies in her industry, the chorus, \u201cI\u2019m so sick of running as fast as I can \/ Wondering if I\u2019d get there quicker if I was a man,\u201d comes off as out-of-touch and disingenuous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Named Forbes\u2019 highest paid celebrity in 2019, it is frustrating that Swift dedicates an entire song to complaining about what the everyday woman might go through at a greater extreme. In addition, the production is awkward, and similarly to \u201cI Forgot that you Existed\u201d, the background music sounds like the copyright-free music an elementary school student might use in a YouTube video. \u201cThe Man\u201d might be catchy, but it is not a good song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI Think he Knows\u201d is a sassy, bright song with a bouncy beat; the story is not anything particularly interesting, but it is fun and well-executed. The sound is very reminiscent of Swift\u2019s first breakout album into the pop genre, \u201c1989.\u201d The lyrics are not completely pointless or surface-level, but they convey the point in a clear and concise manner–there are not too many standout metaphors in the song. \u201cI Think he Knows\u201d might be the best song off of the album, even if there is not too much artistic value in the lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seventh track, \u201cMiss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince\u201d is a darker song that compares a toxic high school relationship with the current political climate in America. The bridge is probably the most impressive aspect of this song, further highlighting the \u201chigh school love\u201d theme by adding cheer chants with the lyrics, \u201cAnd I don\u2019t want you to (Go!), I don\u2019t really wanna (Fight!) \/ \u2018Cause nobody\u2019s gonna (Win!)\u201d This element was absolute genius, and the verses did not disappoint either, with impeccable lyrics like, \u201cYou play stupid games \/ you win stupid prizes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undermining whatever artistry was happening in the album, \u201cME!\u201d is a trainwreck of a single. While some may argue that the song is fun; that\u2019s just not true. \u201cME!\u201d is a fun song for third graders, but for anyone over the age of 8, the song is stupid. The ridiculously low-level lyrics paired with the juvenile sound make this a major disappointment. This song belongs in a Barbie movie, not a pop icon\u2019s album; it is all-around an embarrassment to \u201cLover.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, \u201cME!\u201d was not the only letdown. \u201cPaper Rings\u201d had upbeat well-written verses, but a poorly-executed chorus. Cheesy nightmarish lyrics like, \u201cUh huh, that\u2019s right \/ Darling, you\u2019re the one I want\u201d totally ruin the song. In addition, \u201cYou Need to Calm Down\u201d had a powerful message that got lost in elementary rhymes and lyrics including, \u201cAnd I\u2019m just like, damn, it\u2019s 7 AM\u201d and \u201cSnakes and stones never broke my bones.\u201d The last disaster of a song was \u201cFalse God\u201d, which was an attempt at a seductive track, but just comes off as awkward. The religious imagery used in lines like, \u201cReligion\u2019s in my lips \/ The altar is my hips\u201d is off putting and uncomfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike \u201cME!\u201d and songs like it, \u201cLondon Boy\u201d exemplifies a song that can be fun and light-hearted without being ridiculous. Inspired by Swift\u2019s British boyfriend, the song includes British slang and references like \u201cI fancy you\u201d in the chorus to mimic the adoring language used by her significant other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the most emotional of the songs, \u201cSoon You\u2019ll Get Better\u201d, is a beautiful, but tragic piece inspired by what Swift went through when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. It is a narrative piece with storytelling components and plot. When the song opens up, Swift is in a doctor\u2019s office where she gets the news. Later, Swift goes into how she will \u201cpaint the kitchen neon\u201d and \u201cbrighten up the sky\u201d for her mother. In a YouTube livestream counting down the release of the \u201cLover\u201d music video, Swift described that including this song in her album was a \u201cfamily decision\u201d, and that she could not perform the song live because it was too emotional. This song and others like it, including \u201cThe Archer\u201d and \u201cLover\u201d, offer classic Taylor Swift songwriting; It feels almost as if these stories are a window into her soul, a diary almost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swift\u2019s new album was an emotional rollercoaster; some songs were remarkable, highlighting the symbolism and storytelling components expected of Swift, especially during her country era. While there were several songs that absolutely missed the mark as far as production, sound, content, lyricism, and more, they do not undermine or degrade the quality of other standout songs featured on the album. Overall, this album will not be on the \u201cHot Girl Semester\u201d playlist.
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first two singles released for the album had all the whim and excitement that one would expect from a Disney Channel Original movie–the songs were lyrically shallow and sounded ditzy and obnoxious. Most importantly, what was lacking was the vulnerable authenticity that Swift has become known for. \u201cME!\u201d and \u201cYou Need to Calm Down\u201d in particular lacked this quality. While there seemed to be a major disconnect with these singles, they are no indicator of the well-executed pieces featured in \u201cLover.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[18,17,19],"class_list":["post-454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-style","tag-lover-review","tag-taylor-swift","tag-taylor-swift-album"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/taylor-swift-lover.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=454"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":471,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454\/revisions\/471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2019-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}