Taylor Swift’s new album Lover has been getting mixed reviews, but honestly? I haven’t been loving it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Taylor Swift hater – she has some great songs that I still jam to in the car even though they’re probably like ten years old now. But Lover? It’s been so disappointing.
The icky forced rainbows and pastels just felt like she’s trying to compensate for the fact that her dark and edgy look in her previous album didn’t get the response she wanted. So, she went back to the image that she knows has made her money (girly pastels), and turned it up ten-fold. Yikes.
Quite frankly, I hated ‘Me!’ and expected way more from Taylor. And then ‘You Need To Calm Down’ came out, and TBH I liked it. It was fun and catchy and had a good message, and I loved most of it save a few hiccups. Even then, this album hasn’t been great for her. Taylor is yet to nab a #1 spot (because, of course Lil Nas X still has it with ‘Old Town Road’.)
Here’s the thing though – it’s not the girly pastels that brought her chart toppers. It’s the vulnerability, emotions and openness that came with those tracks which pushed her into stardom. When people hear her music, they want to relate. They want to feel things, because we’re all emotional messes. And yes, we like to have a good time, but the charts are full of pop anthems right now. What we need is more vulnerability, and music that means something. We don’t need to choke and suffocate on rainbow smoke while Taylor screams at us to have fun.
Taylor Swift Returned To Being Emotional And We Love It
Now, she’s just dropped the fifth track on the album, ‘Archer’, and it’s exactly what everyone loved about Reputation. It’s soft, synth-y, and reminiscent of ‘Delicate’, the fifth track on her last album. ‘Delicate’ is one of my all time Taylor faves, and I’m glad she’s revisiting that sound.
Archer is all about the exhaustion that comes with constantly being ready for some kind of conflict. In true Taylor style, the release time is meaningful since it’s all about competition, conflict, losing friends and gaining enemies, and just being goddamn tired of fighting.
It comes after her beef with Scooter and Scott, which was public and tragic and also kinda weird since no one’s facts seemed to align. We can def see the connection between the song and the public drama Taylor Swift always ends up in.
Archer is slow, and it builds and builds without ever quite reaching the crescendo we’re expecting. It’s raw, it’s emotional, it’s kind of sweet, and it’s hitting fans right in the feels. Finally, something that feels real.
all of us after listening to The Archer pic.twitter.com/hYlrezIdgD
— ♡ isabella ♡ (@longlivemp4) 23 July 2019
It has a romantic lull to it, and the build to its invisible crescendo is what keeps you listening. It’s comforting and modest in its quietness, and makes you just wanna drown yourself in it while you think about all the shit you’ve dealt with, and how you’re tired of it all. Honestly? It’s just a great ballad and Taylor finally managed to engage her audience again.
BIG MOOD #TheArcher pic.twitter.com/nh6zXvoKww
— a (@swiftxlover) 23 July 2019
The funny thing is, Taylor Swift just released ‘Archer’ as a single and it isn’t even getting a music video, yet it’s her best song in ages. Which TBH makes it feel that much more authentic.
Image Sources: YouTube: TaylorSwiftVevo, Twitter @taylorswift13, @swiftxlover, @longlivemp4.
