I always felt like the Taylor Swift story would end up here eventually. Here we are, eighth album in, and Taylor Swift has finally decided she doesn't need chart success anymore. And as a result, she delivers one of her best albums to date, which goes #1 anyway. Streaming really has taken over, and if albums like these get commercial recognition as a result, I'm all for it.
Folklore finally showcases a grown-up Taylor Swift, one that is able to carry the weight of crushing emotion for an entire album. This is an album of experience, one that takes all the baggage that came with Taylor Swift's success and presents a mature, yet world-weary, outlook on who she has become. That's evident through the musical style alone, where she ditches the glitz and glamour of her most recent albums, sheds the innocent face of her earlier work, and cuts right through the facade to deliver a well-written, emotionally raw indie folk record. I certainly have favourites on this album, but I won't deny that every song on here sounds gorgeous. Listening to this album puts me in a serene mood, walking through a forest, or a quiet night on a usually busy downtown street. Such an amazing comedown from her previous few albums, especially the last one.
If this is the Taylor Swift we get from now on, one that isn't trying to chase dated trends or capitalize on a garish media-painted image, I'm all for it. This album is masterful.
9/10
Best Tracks: "the last great american dynasty", "august", "this is me trying", "illicit affairs", "mad woman", "betty"
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