We live in the era of Taylor Swift’s absolute domination, and The Tortured Poets Department marks her fourth album in just 18 months. The singer took us on another epic lyrical journey and explored different stages of heartbreak on this vulnerable and vindictive album, which also happens to be one of her most uneven releases in recent years.
Swift has been through a lot since Midnight hit the shelves in 2022—and we’re not just talking about her record-breaking The Eras Tour. The singer’s romantic relationship often served as the main source of inspiration for her music, and Tortured Poets continues this trend, but not in a way you’d think.
This is Swift’s first album of new material since her six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn came to an end, and many expected their breakup would be the main subject of this album. Instead of simply throwing Alwyn under the bus, Swift decided to explore many stages of heartbreak on this record, reserving her vindictive quips for a short-term fling with Matty Healy and giving her some of her edgiest lyrics since Reputation.
Tortured Poets is at its strongest when Swift is ready to bare her emotions and get vulnerable, instead of resorting to pettiness. “So Long, London” is the case in point, and it’s one of her most emotional and raw breakup anthems since her magnum opus “All Too Well”.
Her vulnerability doesn’t shine as strongly on the rest of the album, but Reputation fans will appreciate the vengeful tone and audacious nature of some of the album’s buzziest songs, such as “But Daddy I Love Him”, “The Tortured Poets Department”, and especially “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”. She also found two pretty great collaborators in Post Malone (“Fortnight”) and Florence Welch (“Florida!!!”).
Swift’s storytelling skills remain as strong as ever on The Tortured Poets Department, but this collection of songs doesn’t feel as cohesive as some of her recent albums. Its synth-pop sound feels repetitive at times, making us wonder if Swift’s collaboration with producer Jack Antonoff has run its course – especially when we compare it with Aaron Dessner’s work on the album’s second volume The Anthology.
The Tortured Poets Department is a solid synth-pop record that bridges the gap between Swift’s several eras. It gives us a moment of boldness, audacity, and vulnerability that continue the singer’s legacy as one of the best storytellers of her generation, but it also feels like a pit stop until the next great thing.
