This Day in Pop: Taylor Swift releases 'Lover' album (Aug 23, 2019)

[Adriannn]

A day like today but two years ago, Taylor Swift released her seventh studio album: Lover. 

This marked a sonic and visual departure from the brassy Reputation, changing dark colors and snakes for pastels and butterflies. Also,  it became the first album Taylor fully owned after the mess with her former label and with Scooter Braun.

All 18 tracks charted in the Billboard Hot 100. The era was marked by stunning music videos and multiple promotional performances. However, its rollout got cut short as the Lover Fest could not be held due to the pandemic.

I would like to run down the tracklist and give my opinion about each song.

 

I Forgot that You Existed: there are a few cheeky lines that might be attractive, but it's a skip for me 

Cruel Summer: a huge missed opportunity for it to be a single. It has become a fan-favorite and the super-talented St. Vincent was involed in its writing. A certified bop.

Lover: this should have been the lead single. I can't relate much to the song and its message  but it is a gorgeous record.

The Man: I understand Taylor's feminist intention with the track; however, she did this a lot better in Folklore's track 'Mad Woman'. Shout-out to the amazing music video.

The Archer: there's something so soothing and urgent in this song at the same time. Like lying on a glittery floor 

I Think He Knows: certified bop, I love its se.x.y undertones 

Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince: this one was an early favorite for me. I think the school metaphors to describe politics were greatly painted. As of now, I don't go back to it as often, but it's a nice song. Also, melodically, it gives me 'So it Goes' vibes (aka Taylor's most underrated song, ever).

Paper Rings: lyrically it's great, the melody and production don't really do it for me, though.

Cornelia Street: what a beautiful love song, Taylor at her great story-telling 

Death by a Thousand Cuts: the only breakup song in a love-filled album. What a bridge, WHAT A BRIDGE 

London Boy: it's a cute song, but I don't return to it as much.

Soon You'll Get Better (feat. The Chicks): The song bears a heartbreaking yet beautiful message. It is about Taylor's mom's battle with cancer. I love the vulnerability and details included in the song.

False God: perfect proof of how versatile and willing to experiment Taylor is. The saxophone is delicious in this track. 

You Need to Calm Down: it's a cute song, I appreciate her intention, but I don't consider it a standout track. 

Afterglow: its beauty resides in its simplicity.

Me! (feat. Brendon Urie): by now, it's no suprise that Taylor's picks for lead singles are... well...  I am not entirely bothered by the song and I understand she wanted to show a stark difference... but she could have marked that transition with another song, 'Lover' for example. On the plus side, Brendon's vocals are on point and the music video is a masterpiece.

It's Nice to Have Friend: and this is the odd one out. At first, I would skip this song. In time, though, I have come to appreciate its melody and the message it yields: finding support and company as you grow up.

Daylight: my favorite song in this album. What a statement to close not only the record, but to circle everything that started since Reputation. There are so many lines I adore and live by. Perfect song.

 

So, what do you guys think, do you like this album? Any favorite song?

 

 

 

[Moscow]

I like Cruel summer from it, rest are flops for me. 

[Adriannn]

6 minutes ago, Prachi said:

I like Cruel summer from it, rest are flops for me. 

[Moscow]

Just now, Adriannn said:

IDK after red she didn't do anything for me, I like evermore quite a lot though. 

[I Always Sing Live]

God, I love this album.  Death By A Thousand Cuts might just be my favorite Taylor song of all time.  False God shouldn't have come as a surprise considering the existence of Dress, but it totally caught me off guard. The sax is just chef's kiss.  The pre-release singles were mediocre, and I Forgot That You Existed is a mess, but the rest of the songs are flawless.  I'll never understand the hype arround Cruel Summer, though. Sure, it's a great song, but it's not the potential #1 single and Song of the Summer that everyone makes it out to be. In my opinion, it's the most overhyped Taylor song next to Getaway Car. 

[Adriannn]

12 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

God, I love this album.  Death By A Thousand Cuts might just be my favorite Taylor song of all time.  False God shouldn't have come as a surprise considering the existence of Dress, but it totally caught me off guard. The sax is just chef's kiss.  The pre-release singles were mediocre, and I Forgot That You Existed is a mess, but the rest of the songs are flawless.  I'll never understand the hype arround Cruel Summer, though. Sure, it's a great song, but it's not the potential #1 single and Song of the Summer that everyone makes it out to be. In my opinion, it's the most overhyped Taylor song next to Getaway Car. 

I know there are better lyrical efforts than Cruel Summer in the album, but IDK, there's something about it 

[rik]

39 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

Taylor song next to Getaway Car. 

Wasn’t that abt Calvin Harris’s ****

[Isla]

The tracklist is a bit of a mess but dare I say this is her best album aesthetic? I love pastel colours so much.

The Man is still THAT song for me, I also love Cruel Summer, Miss Americana, Cornelia Street, London Boy, Daylight

[Neydelinska Spearsi]

def **** singles

I'd go with

 

1 Cruel summer instead of ME HE HE

2 Paper Rings

3 I forgot you existed or London boy

4 Miss Americana

5 Cornelia Street or Daylight

[Adriannn]

22 minutes ago, Isla said:

The tracklist is a bit of a mess but dare I say this is her best album aesthetic? I love pastel colours so much.

The Man is still THAT song for me, I also love Cruel Summer, Miss Americana, Cornelia Street, London Boy, Daylight

 

13 minutes ago, FreeBritBrit said:

def **** singles

I'd go with

 

1 Cruel summer instead of ME HE HE

2 Paper Rings

3 I forgot you existed or London boy

4 Miss Americana

5 Cornelia Street or Daylight

 

Daylight means flawless taste 

[Adriannn]

26 minutes ago, Isla said:

I love pastel colours so much

I'm not the biggest fan, but the aesthetic was gorgeous overall, although there's something off with her album cover.

[BritneyWithGlasses]

I Love this song so much the song is so underrated, reminds me of one of brendon's song:

Spoiler

 

not her seeding the grounds for folklore

 

[BritneyWithGlasses]

me is one of my fave Lover song

 

[BritneyWithGlasses]

filler era to transition between repetition to folklore  

[BritneyWithGlasses]

wish that Brendon and Taylor collabed  during the reputation era

like patd are emo-pop rock icons like  

Spoiler

 

[Adriannn]

11 minutes ago, BritneyWithGlasses said:

wish that Brendon and Taylor collabed

I hope they collaborate again in the future, if she's had Ed Sheeran more than once, why not Brendon! 

[Princessmimi]

One of her best albums and my 2nd fave album from her (1989 is my 1#)

'The Man' is definitely one of the most important songs of her career cause of the subject.

I hope she makes another pop album as good as this one.

[I Always Sing Live]

The covers for the rerecordings go very well with the aesthetic Taylor established with folklore and evermore, which is probably the point. However, if she keeps going for the same indie, textless aesthetic, Lover is gonna look so out of place since she doesn't have to rerecord it. As tacky as Lover's cover is, it's my favorite album cover of hers, but changing it would probably be for the better once she's done with the rerecordings in 2033. 

[I Always Sing Live]

5 hours ago, Rik said:

Wasn’t that abt Calvin Harris’s ****

Yes, I think it was about dipping from her relationship with Calvin because it was a mess and she had started seeing Tom Hiddleston or something.  Kinda tragic, tbh. I have a vendetta against cheaters, but Gorgeous and Getaway Car imply that she cheated on Calvin. 

[Adriannn]

3 hours ago, princessmimi said:

I hope she makes another pop album as good as this one.

I'd love to see pop Taylor back too.