On her eleventh album, The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift once again pushes the boundaries of her lyrics. A breakup album where Swift goes through the five stages of grief. It’s an album “she had to write”, but it’s not always musically surprising. Nevertheless, this synthpop album is a strong addition to her body of work.
No, Taylor Swift isn’t the best singer or dancer on earth. But what she has been doing since she was young, is writing excellent lyrics. Her poetic lyrics have improved over the years and with each album. Therefore, it’s only logical she has appointed herself as the chairwoman of her own poetry department. A title she deserves as The Tortured Poets Department consists of poems set to music.
For a pop artist, Swift presents a bold album. No catchy choruses, but literary lyrics with references to her recent (love) life. This is also evident on the first single Fortnight, a collaboration with Post Malone. A logical single choice since it’s one of the few songs on this album that will be played on the radio. As much TikTok potential as its predecessor Midnights had, The Tortured Poets Department has little hit potential. That’s a positive thing. The music on this new album has thus been made Taylor Swift’s own. The fragility of Folklore and Evermore combined with the synthpop of Midnights. No fuss or frills. Just writing from her heart and singing what she felt.
Not only Post Malone features on this album. Florence Welch from Florence + The Machine is also present. The eighth track, Florida!!!, stands out on the album. The drums accompanying the chorus make it a strong anthem about escaping your problems. Florida is namely the location where Swift was performing with her Eras Tour at the time her breakup with Joe Alwyn became public.
Breakup album about recent exes
Although Swift is known for singing about her exes, that subject hasn’t been prominent in her work for about ten years. Mainly because during this time she had a six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn. Now that this relationship is over, there were fears of an album exposing it, particularly the relationships ending. But it’s not as bad as feared.
Of course, Swift sings about her “London Boy” on tracks like So Long, London and loml. But the intense short-lived relationship with The 1975’s singer Matty Healy, which followed Alwyn, fares worse. This was a relationship disapproved by everyone except Swift, as sung about on But Daddy I Love Him. However on I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can), Swift realizes that Healy is beyond saving. Not even by her.
It illustrates Swift’s naivety, which recurs throughout this album. But she also benefits from it. Both Alwyn and Healy didn’t always treat her well, if we interpret her lyrics correctly. She learns from this. Someone who says she’s the “love of my life” but doesn’t dare to appear together in public or put a ring on her finger is more likely the “loss of her life.” Because that’s what loml really stands for with Swift.
These kinds of textual tricks occur frequently on The Tortured Poets Department. With it, she not only puts herself through the wringer, but also makes jokes towards the listener: “I’m having his baby; No, I’m not, but you should see your faces”. An art that is not reserved for many songwriters.
A true ‘Tortured Poet’
It’s clear that Taylor Swift is one of the most famous people in the world. Since her debut album Taylor Swift in 2006, she has been closely followed by the media. Especially when it comes to her relationships. And this media presence has only increased over time due to the growth of online and social media. There’s no hiding and processing a breakup as an artist of this magnitude. Especially not when you’re simultaneously on a world tour performing on the biggest stages every week.
That’s exactly what Swift sings about in I Can Do It With a Broken Heart. A melancholic song where she sings about having to put aside her mental problems because the spotlight was on her. There was no time to feel bad about herself. “The show must go on.” A falsely cheerful song that is very cleverly arranged thanks to producer Jack Antonoff. The same is told in the closing track, Clara Bow, about an actress in silent films from the 1920s who struggled with mental problems. A fitting comparison.
The Tortured Poets Department is an album about a year in Taylor Swift’s life. From the breakup with Joe Alwyn, the brief relationship with Matty Healy, her Eras Tour, the blossoming relationship with American football player Travis Kelce on The Alchemy, and her mental problems that play out in between. Enough inspiration for this album. And that is precisely why Swift released a bonus version of the album. The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology features a whopping 15 bonus tracks. This double album will be played on repeat many fans. It’s also likely that the setlist of the Eras Tour will get an update.
