A cruel summer? Not with “Lover”
Swifties everywhere can commence the celebration.
Taylor Swift is once again showing the world her songwriting chops with her new album, “Lover,” released on Aug. 23. Every song on the album was written and produced by Swift, alongside collaborators such as Jack Antonoff, St. Vincent, and Joel Little.
It is clear from the beginning that this album is different from Swift’s previous record, “Reputation.” “Lover” begins with the simple, yet compelling, “I Forgot That You Existed.” Swift, accompanied by a light pop beat, sings about forgetting about people that hurt her in the past, effectively closing her previous era.
The rest of the album is a colorful mix of pop, deep synth and sing-along choruses. “Cruel Summer,” a song about an ill-fated romance, is sure to be visiting the Billboard Hot 100 soon, with its catchy melody and fun lyrics.
Swift takes many opportunities in this album to brag about her current lover, English actor Joe Alwyn. This is most apparent in the song, “London Boy,” which features enough British references to butter your crumpet.
The country genre once again influences Swift’s music in this album, including the love anthem “Paper Rings” and a heartbreaking message to her mother who is battling cancer in “Soon You’ll Get Better.”
Earlier in the album, Swift takes a note from Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” in her song “False God,” where religious imagery is woven into a smooth, sensual track, complete with a saxophone feature.
Another highlight of the album is “It’s Nice to Have a Friend,” where a children’s choir and steel drum beautifully accent Swift’s poignant lyrics about the beauty of friendship. The unique instrumentation, which even includes a trumpet solo, gives the song a light and peaceful atmosphere.
Overall, “Lover” is a strong addition to Swift’s versatile repertoire and shows that she is still very capable as a pop songwriter and performer. “Lover” also exhibits a level of maturity that hasn’t been present in her previous albums.
So maybe the old Taylor wasn’t dead. Maybe she just went on vacation, grew up a little and is ready to continue treating her fans to songs of love, daydreams and cats.
—alek.nelson@aggiemail.usu.edu
@nelsonalek