As the clock struck midnight on April 19th, 2024, American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album “The Tortured Poets Department,” and released a surprise second album “The Tortured Poets Department: the Anthology” two hours later.
There are a whopping 31 tracks between the two new albums. The first single of the album is titled “Fortnight,” and it was paired with a music video that was released on the evening of the 19th. The song and the music video features hip-hop artist Post Malone as a singer and an actor. His voice fits unexpectedly well alongside Swift’s, and helped the track stand out as the shining star of the album, making Fortnight deserving of the “first single” title.
Additionally, Swift’s self-directed music video for the song is full of references and easter eggs that excited her fans and those familiar with the 1989 film “Dead Poets Society,” as it features Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles, the two stars of the movie.
The theme of this synth-pop album is assumed to be the five stages of grief, which is a 1969 psychological theory developed by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. It describes the five emotions one goes through after facing a heartbreak or a loss, beginning with denial, followed by bargaining, then anger and depression, and ending with acceptance. Swift’s lyrics cover a wide array of topics, including her recent breakups with Joe Alwyn, whom she dated for 6 years, and Matty Healy, whom she had a renewed but brief fling with. Most apparent in songs “The Alchemy” and “So High School,” her current boyfriend Travis Kelce is her main inspiration. Her recent romances weren’t the only muse for the new albums though; Swift wrote about the mental health struggles she has faced due to her fame, the parasocial relationship some of her Swifties have with her, and her experience performing for the iconic Eras Tour.
Upon my first listen, I’d say that I generally enjoyed The Tortured Poets Department. The sound of the albums varied throughout, containing her typical upbeat “glitter gel-pen” songs that she’s most known for, and several solemn tracks to please the sad song lovers that this album caters to so generously. The Tortured Poets Department is different from her other work, and is perfect for lovers of slow tempos and vocals reminiscent of Lana del Rey, which is what I typically gravitate towards. After sitting with the albums for some time, my love for several of the songs grew significantly. My top 5 favorites out of the entire track-list would be Fortnight, The Tortured Poets Department, Guilty As Sin, loml, and The Bolter. I found them to be the most memorable and relatable, and they all stood out more than the other tracks during my first listen, for both their sound and their lyrics. Even though I consider myself a casual fan of Swift’s music, I’ve had the albums stuck in my head and have been listening to my favorite songs over and over again since they were first released.
The lyrics these albums contain are deeply personal, metaphorical, and beautiful. Her songs are littered with references to her older music, heart-breaking events from her past, allusions to writers and actors, vicious jabs at those who have wronged her in the past, and a healthy amount of introspection. The genuine tone of her lyrics feel a bit invasive at times, as if you’re reading her diary, but her transparency gives listeners something to relate to on a personal level. Each line helped to bring the slow, gloomy, and calm atmosphere of the albums together, which makes them unique in comparison to her cheerful, upbeat, and poppy albums of the past. All of that said, I did find two of the songs “The Alchemy” and “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart” less lyrically impressive than the other tracks. Many fans have shared a similar viewpoint, criticizing the songs for their simple football metaphors and the tone-deafness of the lyrics “I’m miserable and nobody even knows! Try and come for my job.”
In my own circle, I’ve heard mixed opinions on The Tortured Poets Department. Some friends loved it, some found it solid or mediocre overall, and some found the album and its subject terrible. Either they loved the deep look into Swift’s life that her lyricism revealed, or they found it disrespectful and overly exposing when considering her fame and ability to influence the public’s opinion on her exes (e.g. Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Jonas, and John Mayer). Of course, music taste differs from person to person, so if you enjoy sad songs or like some of Swift’s work, I would suggest giving the album a listen yourself.
