Taylor Swift’s evolution was a joy to watch, and she never ceases to amaze us with her ability to grow with each new record. Her latest album Midnights takes us years back into the singer’s turbulent past, while still managing to be one of her most mature albums to date, but it doesn’t really have any bangers in store.
When she first announced Midnights, Swift promised a “journey through terrors and sweet dreams”, inspired by 13 sleepless nights in her life. In addition to featuring 13 main tracks, the Grammy-winner surprised us by dropping 3 am Edition with seven more bonus songs.
The album opens with “Lavender Haze”, a synth-pop track that addresses engagement rumors that have been following her for years. Like many songs that come after it, including “Maroon”, “Vigilante S—t”, and “Labyrinth”, it echoes some of her past eras, while still bringing something new to the table.
Swift’s choice of singles often puzzled fans, and Midnights’ leading single “Anti-Hero” is a mixed bag. It may not be the album’s shiniest moment, but the singer’s approach to her past failures is quite refreshing. “Snow on the Beach” ft. Lana Del Rey also leaves much to be desired considering the two brilliant artists involved, but it’s still a poetic and emotional track.
Swift has given us moments of brilliance in the most surprising places, through such tracks as “Karma”, “Mastermind”, and “Midnight Rain”. All in all, it’s a restrained yet confident record, but it will mostly appease Swift’s die-hard fans, not casual listeners.
The main thing Midnights deserves criticism for is its lack of bangers. It’s one of Swift’s most introspective records to date, but it barely features any potential radio hits. Fans of her recent (and far superior) albums Folklore and Evermore will welcome this change with open arms, but don’t expect this album to give us another “Shake It Off” or “Look What You Made Me Do” because it’s a completely different beast.
3.5/5
