Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poet’s Department Review

There’s nothing to be angry about in terms of the actual music presented. But it’s just that; another Taylor Swift record. Not a 1989, nor a Fearless, but another album in her discography.

Apologies in advance. What started as a review for Taylor Swift’s most recent effort became a focused look into the industry at large and what trials the modern-day Popstar faces. So, I’ll say this on the music side to appease the review aspect of the review. ‘Tortured Poets Department’ is another Taylor Swift album. It is fine. I can go into details of what works well and tracks that stood out from the 31 but in all honesty, I think this album is an album for her fans to indulge in the lore and referential, and long track list. Jack Antonoff’s conquering of pop music records come yet again as my fatigue with his production continues. It works well when it works well and sits flat when it sits flat. Meh.

Now, Taylor and I go way back. It’s this way if you were a kid during the late oughts, learning lyrics to Love Story on one of those YouTube videos made on Windows Movie Maker. I don’t come to Taylor Swift’s music as a hater, but an observer. It is difficult to come into an album blind of the context. Pop stardom and cultural relevance means that Taylor has become somewhat of an important figure in 21st century music, whether you love her or hate her. Whilst disheartening to her fans, I come from the belief that pop music can be polarising and successful at the same time. Her fan base grows as the animosity and criticism grows too. I’d hate to use TikTok speak but it’s relevant in this case when I say that ‘the girls who get it, get it,’.

When you are a part of a machine that demands more from its artists with each project, the consumer at some point, can fall into somewhat of a fatigue. In the same way that I think Nicole Kidman is a great actress, I have seen her in five projects every year and cannot help but think that a pause in her craft would stoke a grander appreciation for her acting. In Taylor’s case, rolling out her re-issues and making new music is a feat to be lauded but I come into the album already fatigued by excess of music she has put out. We cannot dictate and control the artist’s output, but we can express ourselves in reaction to the work that is being put out. The wheels are starting to ware out. There is no anticipation outside of being a fan because this is what we come to expect. The teasing, the obscurity, the mystery. It’s lacking on this album roll out. Her return record ‘folklore’ worked well in this way; for its slower tempo and return to pure guitar music and the return from obscurity. Now we’re faced with a music video set in a world that kind of looks like Poor Things with appearances from Ethan Hawke and Post Malone, who is a welcome musical feature on this song, and a collaboration that works well for both. 

There is only so much you can do when you are at the helm of a cultural zeitgeist and represent the extremities of capitalism in the music industry. The poetic oeuvre of the album is lessened by a scroll that has the Spotify symbol printed at the bottom, taking us right back to the 21st century. Lyrically, calling an album ‘Tortured Poets Department’ despite the lore and rumour behind the title’s meaning (there is so much lore and rumour that I can’t afford to go into), you set yourself up for expectations equating the lyric writing to poetry. Taylor has shone interest in poetry, referencing some American greats, so we are aware that she is in touch with the literary aspect. She falls short on lyrical delivery, however, some lines taking me right out of the song and left to grapple with how this got pass a team of people.

There’s nothing to be angry about in terms of the actual music presented. But it’s just that; another Taylor Swift record. Not a 1989, nor a Fearless, but another album in her discography. I don’t feel excited or impassioned by anything presented to me and will idly bop my head along to whatever track of hers from this album they decide to play whilst I stand in the queue at H&M.