Release Date: October 21
Genre: Synthpop / Alt-Pop
Pop icon Taylor Swift has returned with her tenth studio album. Okay, it's technically her 12th if you count the re-released versions of Fearless and Red, but as far as new releases, this is her 10th. The marketing for this album, admittedly, is pretty genius. On August 28th, she announced this album, stating it to be a collection of songs written during the middle of the night. From what she was teasing towards, it sounded like these would be her most deeply personal and intimate tracks to date. Combine this with the almost self-satirical way she revealed the names of these songs, and Taylor gave us something to look forward to.
What also got people excited was that no one really knew what this would sound like. Not counting her re-released albums, Taylor saw herself going in an indie folk direction with folklore and evermore. This made many, including myself, wonder if she will switch her sound up again or double down on this more somber folksy direction. Now admittedly, I was personally hoping for the latter. I'm not the biggest Taylor Swift fan in the world. She's got some great hits, but for the most part, her music never really stuck with me. However, I LOVE folklore. It is a surprisingly amazing delve into the world of indie folk, giving us some of my favorite songs of hers ever. I haven't heard evermore in its entirety, but from what I've heard, I really like it. Because of that, I was hoping that Midnights would continue this shift. For those of you that have listened to it, which is very likely most people, that is not the case. Midnights definitely sounds like a follow up to Lover. The instrumentation, while still more lowkey, is a lot brighter and poppier. You don't get any songs like "invisible string" or "betty" here. I was initially pretty disappointed in this fact because I think singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is great. But after a few listens, I have accepted this sonic change and am ready to talk about it as is. So, what are my thoughts? Well... let's talk about it.
The album starts with "Lavender Haze," which is a great tone-setter for the album. The beat is moody and somewhat psychedelic as it slightly pans from the left to the right channel as it progresses. The little vocal hook that plays at certain points is catchy, and Taylor's singing and songwriting is pretty strong. She describes a powerful love on this track, and it comes across very genuine and sweet. It's a damn solid opener for this project.
The following track, "Marooned," is fine. I think the chorus is written very well, and Taylor sounds great on the song as a whole. My biggest problem with this song is the pacing. It's slow to the point of getting tedious. The song becomes boring very quickly, which is a shame because I think there are some neat ideas here. I especially like the droning melody of the synth in the high end. It gives the song this dark, somewhat haunting vibe. Unfortunately, it doesn't do a whole lot more for me other than that.
"Anti-Hero" was released as the lead off single, and it has grown on me a lot. This is easily one of the most vibrant and uplifting sounding songs here, which makes the contrasting, self-reflective lyrics about Taylor's flaws, insecurities and depression all the more potent. And that chorus is so good. It's insanely catchy and the progression is fantastic. Taylor is so good at writing pop hits, and "Anti-Hero" is proof of that.
"Snow on the Beach" is a song that I want to like, because there are some aspects that I do adore. The melody is genuinely gorgeous, and I love the intimacy in the songwriting and the singing. This song sounds like it could easily fit on folklore, which is certainly not a bad thing at all. However, there are two problems I have with this song. One is that the song lacks body. There is certainly a progression, but the climax of the song doesn't hit as hard as it should because the production doesn't quite aid in the build. The final chorus should be a powerful moment, but it ends up flaccid. The second is, you guessed it, the underusage of Lana Del Rey. This song features her, but she's pushed off to be solely backing vocals. That's not entirely a bad thing, but with the mixing, her voice sounds buried under everything to the point where you can barely tell it's her. I do think this is a good song, but it could be so much more.
The following "You're On Your Own, Kid" might be my favorite song on the album. I love the soft rock instrumentation here, and I love how it builds through the bridge. This song definitely has the best bridge on any song here. I also find these to be some of Taylor's best lyrics on the entire project. The story she pens here is vivid and full of detail, as she details a person who wants love more than anything, but is destined for loneliness. I appreciate it when Taylor steps outside of herself and writes a story in the third person, and this track is a great example.
Up to this point, I find the album to be pretty solid. Unfortunately, from here, the album kind of falls apart. "Midnight Rain" is boring. I appreciate her doing something different, but it doesn't really work. The watery production makes the whole track sound sleepy, but not in a captivating way. The pitched vocals are odd, and the chorus doesn't do much for me because of how underwritten it is. In my opinion, this is the first real dud of the album.
The second dud is "Question...?." This is a Hallmark movie song. The lyrics here are some of the cringiest on the album. The lyrics in the chorus in particular make me roll my eyes. This song also has some of the most flat production on the album. It has no real identity to it, and I can barely remember this song when it ends.
Then we get "Vigilante Shit." Here, she's doing her best 2013 Lorde impression. It's easily the most minimalist song here, as most of the instrumentation is bass and a trap beat with some weird-ass synths doing whatever they want. It does not fit on this album at all. Also, Taylor is going back to trying to give us a bad bitch persona like what she was doing on songs like "...Ready for it?" and "Look What You Made Me Do," and I'm sorry, but I just don't buy it. It sounds so tacky. This is yet another snoozer on the album.
"Bejeweled" has some elements that I do like. I like the beat. The synths sound very crystalized, which fits quite well with the title and the lyrics. I also think some of the lines about Taylor comparing herself to diamonds are kind of cute. I just don't like this chorus. Sure, it's catchy, but I don't love the writing. And by that, I mean the vocal writing. The way she sings "shimmer" and "remember" just make me roll my eyes. It's not the worst song here, but it is pretty weak.
Luckily, things do improve a bit in the last leg of the album. "Labyrinth" is a genuinely gorgeous ambient pop ballad. I love the swelling keys, as well as the fluttering synths and how they just cut through the mix. Taylor sounds her most angelic here, and the hook of "oh no, I'm falling in love again" is simple, but sweet. Also, the beat switch in the last leg is great. It's a great climax for this progression, and it doesn't feel forced at all. I could do without the kick drum playing throughout most of the track, but that's really the only nitpick I have. Great song.
"Karma," in my opinion, is definitely filler, especially in this late stage of the album. The production certainly pops, but it doesn't grab me as much as I want it to. The chorus also gets repetitive REALLY quickly. It's mainly the notes that she sings, as most of the words she sings are the exact same note. It's not quite as bad as the hook for "Look What You Made Me Do," but it is certainly annoying. Plus, the lyrics are just... why? "Karma is a cat / purring in my lap?" Okay. Whatever you say.
The penultimate track, "Sweet Nothing" is, as the title suggests, very sweet. It's easily the simplest track here, consisting of mostly piano and Taylor's voice, with some added bits of production work here and there. It's a charming little ballad, and it works great as a closer for the album, even though there's still one more song. It's very pretty, and it's easily one of my favorites here.
The album ends with "Mastermind," which has some of the best pre-choruses on the entire album. I love the writing of those moments, and the vocal layering and harmonies are gorgeous. I also love the arpeggiated synths. I am a sucker for arpeggios, especially in a pop setting, so that touch was nice. The rest of the song is fine. It's not one of the most memorable songs for me, and I don't find the chorus to be all that enchanting. I also don't like how the song just ends. There's not a whole lot of payoff here, which is a shame, because otherwise, this could have been a strong closer. Instead, the song, as well as the album, ends with a whimper instead of a bang.
Before I close off this review, I guess I should talk about the bonus tracks. Just a few hours after the release of the album, Taylor released a deluxe edition titled Midnights (3AM Edition), featuring seven brand new tracks. Why she didn't simply release these with the album or just make an EP detached from the album is beyond me, but hey, it is what it is. And honestly, after listening to these songs, I can understand why they weren't on the original version. They aren't bad, but they aren't as memorable as the other tracks. They're written and performed well enough and the production is solid, but they don't stick with me like "Anti-Hero," "Labyrinth" or even "Snow on the Beach." The only bonus track I want to highlight is "Glitch," because it has the best instrumentation of these extra songs. I still don't love it, but it's probably my favorite of the 3AM exclusives.
And that's Midnights. Honestly, I'm kind of underwhelmed. I respect the stylistic switch up and there are some solid moments here, but I can't help but feel like Taylor is punching under her weight. I get the concept behind the project, but the songs don't really do a whole lot for me to get me to care about what Taylor is going for. With that being said, this isn't a bad record. It sounds nice for the most part. Taylor's songwriting, while occasionally sloppy, can be clever and full of charm. The good songs are quite good. Unfortunately, the understated approach of the overall project is not compelling in the ways that something like folklore does, and it has nothing to do with the genre. This switch into a moody pop sound could work, and there are times when it does, but for me, it's simply too inconsistent to be thoroughly enjoyable from front to back. But hey, that's my two cents. I know you have most likely already listened to this project, and I know hardcore Taylor Swift fans will get a lot out of this. As for me, I'm glad I listened to it, but I have no intentions on seeking this out again.
Best Tracks: Lavender Haze; Anti-Hero; You're On Your Own, Kid; Labyrinth; Sweet Nothing
Worst Track: Vigilante Shit
Grade: C
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