1 Year Later || "folklore" by Taylor Swift

Today, July 24, 2021, marks one year since Taylor Swift's Grammy Award-winning, surprise eighth studio album, folklore, was released. folklore is an important album in Taylor Swift's discography and it is also her best, in my opinion. After the release of her 2017 album, reputation, which is criminally underrated, and her 2019 album, Lover, the public began doubting her skills as a songwriter. Lover is her weakest, recent effort and was an extra nail in the coffin for her reputation as a songwriter, especially after the lead single, ME! (feat. Brendon Urie) was released. folklore, the album that came after Lover, reminded the public that Taylor Swift is indeed one of the best songwriters of our generation.

When the news broke that Swift would be releasing a surprise album, we were told it was going to be completely different from anything she released prior. This caused a frenzy because up until that point, we heard her rap, sing pop songs, and country songs, so what would this new era bring?

the 1 starts off folklore with a piano and subtle drums, giving off a folk and alternative musical style we had never gotten from Swift before. For an album opener, it's unconventional because of how slow and minimalistic it is, but it perfectly sets the mood. After the 1, we are led into the lead single, cardigan - a beautiful piano ballad about love and growth. cardigan brings you into a world of its own, with its atmospheric production and Swift's soft singing, which is incredibly pleasing to the ear.

The album really begins to kick off at track 4, exile (feat. Bon Iver), which was my favorite on my initial listen. exile is one of the saddest songs on the album, where Swift and Bon Iver play ex-lovers who see each other at an event, after they broke up on bad terms, due to communication issues. Swift sings about giving him so many signs that she was unhappy in the relationship, while Bon Iver's stance is the complete opposite, telling her that she never gave him a sign. Bon Iver's deep voice harmonizing with Swift's much higher and lighter tone set the foundation for a song about the bitter and heartbreaking end of a relationship that could have worked, if they were able to communicate with each other.

From track 4, exile, to track 9, this is me trying, there are absolutely zero skips. This is hands-down the best section of the album. The pace picks up, the instrumentals feel more full, and Swift begins using more falsetto and belts. We simply cannot talk about this section of the album without mentioning mirrorball, august, or this is me trying.

For mirrorball and august, the bridges are the selling points. mirrorball tells a story about Swift being able to adapt to different social situations and reflecting the intentions of the people around her. august is about a summer fling that was never meant to be anything more. august has one of Swift's best bridges and best vocals performances.

I come back to this is me trying quite often because it's such a relatable song about not giving up, even when the odds seem to be against you. The second verse cuts like a knife and is one of my favorite Swift verses in her entire discography. "They told me all of my cages were mental, so I got wasted like all my potential. And my words shoot to kill when I'm mad. I have a lot of regrets about that. I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere. Fell behind all my classmates and I ended up here. Pouring out my heart to a stranger, but I didn't pour the whiskey."

After this is me trying, the songs get slower and the folk genre becomes more dominant. This new section is more intimate and minimalistic, like the first three songs on the album, and we get more personal songs about her current boyfriend, as well as epiphany, which is about her grandfather.

betty is another standout on the album, as it is the only country song on folklore and the longest, having a running time of almost five minutes. peace follows betty and I think it is one of the most underrated songs on folklore. It starts off with a long guitar intro, setting the mood for a vulnerable story, where Swift talks about her current boyfriend, asking him, "Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?" As Swift is a popular figure, she's warning him that there will be many external factors that will affect their relationship, but she hopes her love for him will be enough to maintain their relationship, despite the negatives.

folklore is an excellent album. Though I enjoy pop-Taylor, I wouldn't mind if, for the rest of her career, she makes music like this, because this is Swift at her best. After an entire year, I enjoy folklore way more than I did on my initial listen, which is a sign of a timeless record. If you haven't listened yet, you should do so now.

Rating: 8.5/10

Favorites: peace, exile (feat. Bon Iver), august, this is me trying, mirrorball, cardigan, my tears ricochet, seven, betty, epiphany

Least favorite: hoax

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