Taylor Swift released her seventh album, Lover, on August 23, 2019.
An album consisting of 18 songs and 61 minutes, Lover returns to the electro-pop style that Swift had established in previous albums, Reputation and 1989. However, she has changed her image from the “dark” Taylor Swift that ruled Reputation to a new, softer version.
True to her past, Swift continues to write songs based off of her relationships. This time, the love songs are about her current boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, an English actor. They’ve been together for almost three years.
The new album started with the release of “ME!” featuring Brendon Urie on April 26, and “You Need to Calm Down” on June 14. Hearing these songs before the rest of the album, there was not much enthusiasm for its release. The songs sounded as if they were released from a wannabe-empowering Disney channel movie.
“You Need to Calm Down” was made in support of the LGBTQ+ community, and the video features many people from the community and mocks anti-LGBTQ+ protesters. The music and lyrics aren’t amazing, but it’s always wonderful to see influential artists who appeal to the younger population normalizing and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Many fans were ecstatic with Swift’s first open show of support, but critics painted her as exploiting the community for money. The video also shows Katy Perry for literally no other reason than to demonstrate that their feud had ended.
“ME!” with Brendon Urie is loud and confusing, accompanied by a video with terrible acting. Some fans are awed by beautiful visuals, but most think that there’s too much happening to appreciate them fully. At one point in the song, “Spelling is fun!” is yelled out before they start singing about how “awesome” they are, which does not belong in a song in the seventh album of a 29-year-old.
But while “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down” were disappointing at best, the rest of Lover made up for them.
Swift’s voice was the best it has ever been in this album, and the music was, as usual, extremely catchy. The only downside to the album was its mediocre lyrics.
Her songs ranged from ones of social commentary to cute love songs to bittersweet nostalgic ones. She even returns to her country roots–something she hasn’t done since her Red album–and collaborates with the Dixie Chicks in “Soon You’ll Get Better.”
In “Soon You’ll Get Better,” Swift sings about her mother’s battle with cancer. She says that the song was “really, really hard to write.” Her mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2015, and is now fighting it for a second time.
In “The Man,” Swift attempts to speak out about feminism and how though she is very successful, she is always put behind men. While in theory it sends out a good message, its execution and lyrics are cringe-worthy and not well-thought out.
“If I was out flashin’ my dollas I’d be a b***h, not a baller” is one of the lines–empowering, sure, but at the same time, hearing a pop song that says “dolla” and “baller” gives me second-hand embarrassment.
“Lover,” the namesake of the album, is about Alwyn. The music is soft and slow, the lyrics basic, but it manages to invoke a feeling of the calm relationship and longing that she seems to feel for her significant other. However, the music video is a charade of love, attempting to encapsulate a relationship with horrible acting.
“Paper Rings” is also about Alwyn. But unlike “Lover,” it’s fast-paced, excited, and completely adorable. In it, Swift sings of how she would give up her materialism and love of “shiny things” just to be with Alwyn. A cute little song that you can’t help but smile to, it’s love at its finest–happy and unfiltered and sweet.
Swift’s amazing voice and catchy music can almost make up for the fact that her lyrics are, for the most part, childish and poorly-developed. So while Lover may not have the most depth or lyrical genius, it’s worth listening to and perfect if you’re looking for songs to sing in the shower or scream out of an open car window.