Taylor Swift's Midnights - Pop Perfection
DescriptionA review of Midnights and why it perfectly embodies her place in pop and the music industry as a whole.
MessageWe recommend listening to Midnights to form your own opinions about the album.
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Taylor SwiftIntroductionHere's a little secret: I'm a Taylor Swift fan, and have been for many, many, many years. Even though I am pretty picky with music, she has always delivered reliably amazing songs from all her years in the industry. Before October 21, 2022, she had released nine studio albums: Taylor Swift (Debut), Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, Reputation, Lover, Folklore, and Evermore. There are also Taylor's Version albums, which are hard to explain, but there are currently only Fearless and Red (TV). But I am not here to explain that; instead, I am here to explain her newest work, Midnights, which was just released a few days ago. I have listened to it endlessly, blasting all thirteen main tracks along with the seven bonus ones, getting extremely comfortable with it. And I have to admit, it is officially my new favorite album from her. Why? Well, because I really love pop music, and that is precisely what Swift has delivered.
Midnights is a melodic, melancholic, ethereal, enamoring, fun, and feelings-filled collection of songs that, though simple on the surface, dig deeper every time you give them a listen. It has catchy and memorable choruses, emotional and hard-hitting bridges, and immaculate lyricism, proving that her ability to tell a story through music has remained. Indeed, the album is an amalgamation of everything Swift has ever done and made, especially on the pop side of her discography, which makes me happy. No offense to any of her other works, but the ones I've always adored are 1989, Rep., and Lover, which are considered pretty much her poppiest albums, so when I learned that Midnights was going to follow suit, even after the more Indie folk Folklore and Evermore, I was overjoyed. It is the perfect distillation of what this woman can do when she puts everything she has learned into one album, and it shows. Below, I will talk about some of my personal standouts in no particular order.
Favorite SongsMy first favorite song from the album is Maroon, one of the less-liked pieces so far, to my surprise. The biggest thing I love about it is the story behind it, as we explore this idea of an old relationship she had that, though it didn't work out, was good while it lasted. Sonically, it reminds me of Welcome to New York and August; I know, weird. That is mainly due to a buzzing/siren sound woven throughout it, acting as a warning about how the story ends in the song. The lyrics have a large amount of poetic symmetry, smoothly streaming into your ears and satisfying any sense of sadness about love. Overall, the song has extremely memorable lines and an unforgettable sound effect, leading it to replay in my head all day.
The second track from Midnights I love is Anti-Hero, which has quickly become a fan-favorite. Yet again, from the start, it has some fantastic lyrics, especially with lines like "I should not be left to my own devices, they come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis," a perfectly rhythmic verse that can easily keep you distracted for hours. When it comes to the sounds, though it is unique, I would never call them as inventive as some of the others in her discography. The song's big message is belonging and feeling like others are constantly using you, something Swift obviously has thought in the past, but many others have, too. You feel like you are just there because people need something from you, not that you're genuinely wanted, and that the world would be better if you weren't there, which is, unfortunately, something even I can relate to sometimes. Overall, the lyrics and message of the track genuinely push it forward, and I would definitely recommend that you check out the song and its music video.
You're On Your Own, Kid is my third favorite song from the album. Now, this one really is a combination of the first two, as it is sonically perfect alongside excellent storytelling and lyrics, especially when the bridge hits, truly making it transcend forward on my list. It has a fantastic build-up that is perfectly paid off, and it alone is enough reason to give it a listen. The song digs deep into this idea of childhood and memories, giving me a level of nostalgia I didn't even think was possible. Even though it is not perfectly relatable, it is full of so much emotion that you can feel it, which is fantastic. Overall, that is where my love for the track comes from.
The fourth song on my list is Bejeweled, a mystical and upbeat gem (pun intended) representing the core of this experimental album. Strangely, it is also widely disliked, probably because it feels "out of place" on the record, but it reminds me a lot of Lover, which is a good thing. The slightly cheesy lyrics, deep bass, and positive sound effects add to the song's atmosphere, excelling it towards perfection. Is it the best on the album? No. But is it the most fun one? Yes. That's my review of it. Overall, it is cool and unique, nothing more or less.
My last two favorites of the main Midnights album are Labyrinth and Mastermind, which are so similar that I am grouping them together. Both are undoubtedly about relationships, with Labyrinth following her journey of falling back in love again, while Mastermind talks about how she needs to plan things out just for people to fall in love with her. Together, they are sonically beautiful, with a unique instrumental usage to draw you into the song. The lyrics are no different, gripping you in with their poetic value and constant metaphors, helping you relate to them with specifics and the use of rhythm. As always, the bridges are majestic, leading you straight to fantastic outros, especially on Labyrinth. The ethereal feel of it all immerses you right in the song, right in the Labyrinth itself, and is truly unique on all levels. Overall, both pieces end this album ideally and show the true strength great production and lyricism can bring to music.
ConclusionMidnights is absolute pop perfection, understanding not only what the genre loves but what I personally love. Clearly, this is a very biased article, and by no means will everyone love every song on the album, but if your taste is even close to mine, then you will adore it. Also, here are some honorable mentions from Midnights, because why not?
Midnights is a melodic, melancholic, ethereal, enamoring, fun, and feelings-filled collection of songs that, though simple on the surface, dig deeper every time you give them a listen. It has catchy and memorable choruses, emotional and hard-hitting bridges, and immaculate lyricism, proving that her ability to tell a story through music has remained. Indeed, the album is an amalgamation of everything Swift has ever done and made, especially on the pop side of her discography, which makes me happy. No offense to any of her other works, but the ones I've always adored are 1989, Rep., and Lover, which are considered pretty much her poppiest albums, so when I learned that Midnights was going to follow suit, even after the more Indie folk Folklore and Evermore, I was overjoyed. It is the perfect distillation of what this woman can do when she puts everything she has learned into one album, and it shows. Below, I will talk about some of my personal standouts in no particular order.
Favorite SongsMy first favorite song from the album is Maroon, one of the less-liked pieces so far, to my surprise. The biggest thing I love about it is the story behind it, as we explore this idea of an old relationship she had that, though it didn't work out, was good while it lasted. Sonically, it reminds me of Welcome to New York and August; I know, weird. That is mainly due to a buzzing/siren sound woven throughout it, acting as a warning about how the story ends in the song. The lyrics have a large amount of poetic symmetry, smoothly streaming into your ears and satisfying any sense of sadness about love. Overall, the song has extremely memorable lines and an unforgettable sound effect, leading it to replay in my head all day.
The second track from Midnights I love is Anti-Hero, which has quickly become a fan-favorite. Yet again, from the start, it has some fantastic lyrics, especially with lines like "I should not be left to my own devices, they come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis," a perfectly rhythmic verse that can easily keep you distracted for hours. When it comes to the sounds, though it is unique, I would never call them as inventive as some of the others in her discography. The song's big message is belonging and feeling like others are constantly using you, something Swift obviously has thought in the past, but many others have, too. You feel like you are just there because people need something from you, not that you're genuinely wanted, and that the world would be better if you weren't there, which is, unfortunately, something even I can relate to sometimes. Overall, the lyrics and message of the track genuinely push it forward, and I would definitely recommend that you check out the song and its music video.
You're On Your Own, Kid is my third favorite song from the album. Now, this one really is a combination of the first two, as it is sonically perfect alongside excellent storytelling and lyrics, especially when the bridge hits, truly making it transcend forward on my list. It has a fantastic build-up that is perfectly paid off, and it alone is enough reason to give it a listen. The song digs deep into this idea of childhood and memories, giving me a level of nostalgia I didn't even think was possible. Even though it is not perfectly relatable, it is full of so much emotion that you can feel it, which is fantastic. Overall, that is where my love for the track comes from.
The fourth song on my list is Bejeweled, a mystical and upbeat gem (pun intended) representing the core of this experimental album. Strangely, it is also widely disliked, probably because it feels "out of place" on the record, but it reminds me a lot of Lover, which is a good thing. The slightly cheesy lyrics, deep bass, and positive sound effects add to the song's atmosphere, excelling it towards perfection. Is it the best on the album? No. But is it the most fun one? Yes. That's my review of it. Overall, it is cool and unique, nothing more or less.
My last two favorites of the main Midnights album are Labyrinth and Mastermind, which are so similar that I am grouping them together. Both are undoubtedly about relationships, with Labyrinth following her journey of falling back in love again, while Mastermind talks about how she needs to plan things out just for people to fall in love with her. Together, they are sonically beautiful, with a unique instrumental usage to draw you into the song. The lyrics are no different, gripping you in with their poetic value and constant metaphors, helping you relate to them with specifics and the use of rhythm. As always, the bridges are majestic, leading you straight to fantastic outros, especially on Labyrinth. The ethereal feel of it all immerses you right in the song, right in the Labyrinth itself, and is truly unique on all levels. Overall, both pieces end this album ideally and show the true strength great production and lyricism can bring to music.
ConclusionMidnights is absolute pop perfection, understanding not only what the genre loves but what I personally love. Clearly, this is a very biased article, and by no means will everyone love every song on the album, but if your taste is even close to mine, then you will adore it. Also, here are some honorable mentions from Midnights, because why not?
- Question...?
- Vigilante S—
- Karma
- Bigger Than The Whole Sky
- Would've, Could've, Should've
SourcesSwift, Taylor. “Midnights.” Taylor Swift, https://www.taylorswift.com. Accessed 24 October 2022.
