Taylor Swift: MIDnights?
Most people involved in pop culture are aware of Taylor Swift, and her never ending reign of the music industry. On October 21st, midnight, she released her tenth album, Midnights. This album contained 13 new songs, and her 3 AM edition contained 7 new bonus tracks, making it 20 songs total. As a huge fan, I stayed up anticipating the release, and I was not left disappointed. Taylor describes her songs as “13 sleepless nights” over her lifetime. Taylor was described by many people as “boy crazy,” only singing angry words about exes, but she dives into insecurities, questions, triumphs, and chaos. In her new album, she mixes all her styles with tastes and hints from each album, but there is something distinguishable and unique about this album.
Compositionally, Midnights is sleek and sturdy in a way that no previous album of hers is. The choice of moodily distorted vocals feels especially dated; putting humanoid whale moans in an album’s first moments, “Midnights is a collage of intensity, highs and lows and ebbs and flows,” she told fans on social media the release. “Life can be dark, starry, cloudy, terrifying, electrifying, hot, cold, romantic, or lonely. Just like Midnights.” I will say, playing this in my dark cold room staring at the ceiling with noise cancelling headphones, it was amazing, as this album is like a midnight wistful, mysterious, and blue. Everyone has different tastes: some midnights you’re asleep in bed, some you’re out partying, and some you’re walking in a city. And just like taste, each song is a different feeling – like 13 different sleepless nights.
“Sweet Nothings” made me want to wrap up asleep with someone, and “Karma” made me want a night out with my friends. In my opinion, she is a pure poetic genius – or a “Mastermind,” as one of her songs is called.
A personal favorite lyric of mine is “Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism like some kind of congressman” from her song “Anti Hero” (my favorite). Taylor surprised us the following morning with her music video for this song, she described this song before as “the deepest dive I’ve ever made into my insecurities” and describes a raucous night with herself, her anti-hero. As a teenage girl with anxiety, Taylor Swift is a favorite of mine – knowing someone like her also goes through the same pain and moments of life. Taylor’s lyrics and music video describe her fears and nightmares, telling herself everyone will abandon and betray her. She explains how everyone seems effortless, and she’s a “monster on the hill,” showing herself sticking out in a room as people stare and run away, telling herself she’s the problem. Maybe she doesn’t sing about things like being 22 and partying anymore, but is that bad?
“Lavender Haze” is an amazing intro for this album, a subtle feel-good song like the start to a good night in her own serene bubble. “Maroon,” a song of unexpected illicit affairs and loss with a lover, is slow with a pop tune and reminded me of Reputation, made for girls who want some nostalgia. “Snow On the Beach” is next, with Lana Del Ray as background vocals. My favorite kind of nights are silent winter nights with snow flurrying, so this was beautiful to picture, singing about aurora borealis with hymn-like vocals. The Guardian’s Alexis Petridis calls it “a perfect gene-splice between their two musical styles with a gorgeous melody – but it’s a long way from a grandstanding summit between two pop icons: there’s a striking lightness of touch about it, a restrained melding of their voices.”
Next up is “You’re on Your Own Kid.” It starts off with talk-like singing – slow but escalating throughout the song – talking about a lonely childhood of a kid left alone to their own devices, running away from their youth, trying to forget. As an adult they’re still alone. The song introduces a heavy beat halfway through, like sorrow and regret. The song sounds like racing and forgetting something you must accept. Taylor manages to portray emotions and experiences into a series of ebbs and flows, like she reads straight out of my mind about things I didn’t even know about myself.
Next up is “Midnight Rain,” potentially the main song of Midnights with the word repeated throughout the song. She sings about her life moving fast, business and heartbreaks, unable to date a nice, stable man as its all she’s used to and will only be her midnight rain if he falls for her. I see a pattern of insecurities in her songs, as she has been shamed for so many failed relationships. Maybe as a pop star she can’t ever stay still. It may not be the most relatable for listeners, but we forget it’s her music about her life, and the beat is catchy, so no complaints.
Drumroll! Next up is my second favorite: “Question…?” This new electronic pop is really doing it for me, with her background vocals, and her voice with a hidden, aggravated pain. Sometimes there have been people in my life that have ripped me away completely. I can’t even yell, I just want to ask them why, or what could’ve gone differently and if they even feel anything about the situation. This song expresses that anguish with her electronic yells – an amazing song.
Next up is “Vigilante S**t,” which personally… is s**t. It gives off an empowering maneater feel. However, there isn’t much tune, and it’s her talk-singing for 2 minutes. A skip for me, and that’s ok to not like one.
Following is “Bejeweled,” a cute song, with sparkles and glitter sound effects, an energetic beat and synth noises. She talks about her own shimmer and glimmer of being herself, with or without a man. After a messy breakup she gets back up and shines her smile because she knows her worth – a sweet song!
“Labyrinth” is next. This song is angelic, starting off with a wispy light vocal and airy background music with glitching sounds. This song made me feel euphoric, lifting free, as she speaks about her fear (but acceptance) of falling in love – another favorite.
Next up is “Karma,” a fan favorite that talks about Taylors relationship with karma how she has it around her finger. Skipping along to a uplifting beat, this song is a pop comeback of hers and a new hit that brings joy to the album.
“Sweet Nothings” is next: a slow soft lullaby with singing like a nursery rhyme. As I stated before, it’s something to peacefully fall asleep to with a loved one, bound to make you feel safe and warm, as she talks about being content.
Finally, “Mastermind” is her genius closing song, I can almost feel her smirking through the screen as she sings it. She talks about her planning a relationship from the start while he thinks it was coincidence.
To conclude, this is a new era for Taylor, and she will only get better from here. This album is a 8/10 for me. I don’t know how I feel about the 7 bonus tracks as they are all slow and subtle, a disappointing surprise, but it is called 3 AM Version for a reason, so slow music lovers will enjoy these. Although it was feeling a bit weak and sounds like it may have been a reject of songs from the last albums, I still love it individually. Compared to her other albums it isn’t as good, but still amazes me with “Anti-Hero.”
