Folklore Album Review

So everyone knows how the opening night of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is rapidly approaching. It has been all over everyone’s social media feeds; what people will be hearing, what cities everyone will be flying to for which shows, and it’s all approaching so fast. Along with all the drama with the rerecordings of Swift’s old albums, like trying to figure out which album we’re getting next, all of our lives have been entirely consumed by her music. As we’re all prepping for the Eras Tour, we have all been listening to what is Swift’s entire discography from start to finish, and as I was listening, I realized that one of my favorite albums was folklore. This album is so different compared to some of her other albums, such as Reputation or Lover,  as it is more tranquil. Throughout the album, Swift creates a variety of imagery that makes us listeners more relaxed and invested in the storylines that connect multiple of her songs into one big adventure. 

My favorite tracks from this album are the last great american dynasty and betty. The stories that Swift shares in both of these songs are so unique but at the same time, extremely relatable. the last great american dynasty is about the backstory of Swift’s mansion that she owns in Rhode Island, and it’s from the perspective of all the people living in that town, as seen in the line, “There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen.” I have never heard another song with this kind of storyline, as the more stereotypical theme throughout songs these days is about relatable heartbreaks and partying with your friends. The fact that this specific song from folklore has to do with such a unique subject makes this track stand out on the album more than some of the other songs on this album, in my opinion.

The only song that stands out more than the last great american dynasty would have to be betty. There is a whole separate plotline in this song that connects to the characters introduced in two other pieces from the album, cardigan, and august, but that’s a story that deserves its article entirely. Although there are two different  tracks on this album with a similar theme, the reason why this song stands out more than the others is that it’s from the perspective of the only boy involved in this loved triangle talked about in each of these three songs (each song is from one person’s perspective from different times in their lives). Betty is another song from the album where the unique storyline makes this song catch my eye.

While there are people who have been listening to Taylor Swift throughout their childhoods, there are others who have recently started their journey with Swift. I have asked Andrew Kitch Jr., newly-converted Swftie, his opinions on folklore as this was the first Taylor Swift album he has ever listened to. I asked him for his top three favorite songs from the album, and his standing did not disappoint. First up, we have the 1. When I asked him why this was his favorite song on the album, he began to explain without any hesitation that this song has such a deep meaning and that a song’s lyrics are a significant  component of how much he enjoys the song. Also, the fact that these lyrics were more relatable to him than any other song on the album was a big plus. I then asked Kitch for his second favorite track, and before he even named a song, he said, “I never would’ve thought I would be getting interviewed for a Taylor Swift article.” This shows how far Swift’s reach is in today’s times; people who never would’ve thought they would be spending their free time listening to Taylor Swift ended up enjoying her music, and that proves how Swift doesn’t have any specific audience, and that anyone, no matter who you are or what you have, can enjoy good, relatable music.

Kitch went on to explain how his next favorite song from folklore was invisible string. He said that his favorite line from the song comes from the chorus; “And isn’t it just so pretty to think / All along there was some invisible string / tying you to me?” He describes this line as “majestic” and how this song gives him “happy little old-school vibes.” Finally, we have hoax: a song for Kitch that not only resonates with the lyrics but also relates to Taylor’s passion while singing this song. For him as well as everyone who listens to this song, the emphasis  in two of the beautifully written lyrics makes for a perfect ending track for the album.

Overall, folklore is an album that resembles different but relatable aspects of not only the teenage experience but the experiences we all share when we’re all just trying our best to learn more about ourselves and the world around us.I can only imagine thousands of people across the globe screaming the lyrics from this album as the long-awaited Eras Tour is almost beginning.