Taylor Swift spins a compelling new tale with Folklore

Do you ever wake up one day and decide “I want to make a indie record from 2010-2011?” Well Taylor Swift did. She called up The National’s Aaron Dessner, they tossed some demos back and forth, and eventually created Folklore, which was surprise released on Friday. If this seems strange, you’re right — but it’s 2020, so all bets are off. The craziest part about all of this? It just might be her most beautiful and consistent release of her career.

2019’s Lover had moments of brilliance, but lacked a coherent theme. It was also held back by a few baffling choices (“London Boy,” “ME!”). Folklore has none of those issues, choosing instead to keep the tempo tempered and the lyrics personal. Dessner’s influence permeates every track, so if The National’s style of moody orchestration is your jam, this will easily become your favorite Taylor Swift record by a mile. Jack Antonoff returns to collaborate here as well, and his tracks are (unsurprisingly) my favorites (“Mirrorball,” “August”). Thankfully he’s toned down his bombastic beatmaking to mesh well with the Dessner tracks. It’s interesting to consider we’re getting The Chicks’ Gaslighter and Folklore back to back, both made by acts bred by the country music machine and transforming their sound in completely opposite ways.

Not to say Swift isn’t new to the emotional ballad, that’s far from the truth. She’s told countless stories of heartbreak and regret. It’s basically her calling card. The songs here have a new weight, though, thanks to the layered production. COVID-19 isolation has also made her lyrics more akin to the storytelling of Speak Now than the broad platitudes of 1989 and Reputation. Some of her best lyrics are hiding in here, just under the surface (“Please picture me in the weeds before I learned civility / I used to scream ferociously any time I wanted,” “I was so ahead of the curve the curve became a sphere”). It’s a vibe that absolutely suits her and accentuates her strengths.

It’s important to remember that Taylor Swift could have always sounded like this. It’s not the lush orchestration or guest spots that make Folklore special, it’s still her impeccable craft and attention to detail. Swift’s post-Reputation and post-Big Machine decisions show an artist who is increasingly willing to try new things and branch out in exciting ways. Perhaps looking back we’ll see Lover as a transitional album away from pop and into a nuanced singer-songwriter era, a Taylor that’s always existed, but had to be freed from her shackles.