REVIEW: To really enjoy Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” you need to listen to it more than once.

It takes more than one listen to fairly assess Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” or TTPD. I wasn’t impressed when I initially heard the tracks on TTPD. As a devoted fan of “Folklore,” “Evermore,” and “Reputation,” I’ve been a little let down by Swift’s more recent, somewhat overdone offerings.

Having said that, Swift does not require my endorsement. With the enormous success of “Midnights,” a concert film and tour that became even more popular, an award for Time’s Person of the Year, and, well, you get the idea. She has just finished a very successful year.

You can’t listen to Swift’s song and really understand it in one sitting. She writes songs with intricate stories and metaphors that make you want to go back and listen again, look up terms like “calamitous” on Google, and perhaps even check out the Genius breakdown of her lyrics. It’s possible that something is still missing even after all of that.

Lyrics like “we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist/I scratch your head, you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever,” along with several other notable mentions, were not at all clear to me on first listen. The narrations were sometimes a little too flowery and occasionally too descriptive.

 

 

But now that I’ve given TTPD a few hours to stew, I can declare with confidence that this album has surpassed Swift’s previous saddest album—a title that is up for debate—and that it is a collection of songs with powerful words, powerful voices, and heartbreaking subjects.

Before the 15 surprise songs were released, this is my rating of TTPD:

I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

 

Although I can see Swift’s motivation—to be both successful and defiant in the face of sadness—I think the beat modification might work better on the Royal Raceway course in Mario Kart.

I don’t think it’s by accident that lyrics like “I’m so depressed I act like it’s my birthday” will become popular on TikTok. The fact that this song has a man counting (one, two, three, four) before to the post-chorus is a clear allusion to the success of the Eras Tour.

Her laughter about how miserable she is and how no one knows it makes me happy. Though purposefully lighthearted, this song is equally as unlistenable as “ME!” unless taken in an ironic way.

The Tortured Poets Department

I was expecting more from a title track that sounds like this. Rumored to be about Swift’s ex-boyfriend Matty Healy, it talks about how Swift doesn’t think her romance is as amazing as Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith’s.

It also discusses the uproar and barrage of press publicity that surrounded their brief two-month romance.

Swift makes several allusions to getting married in this song and other tracks on the album. “You smoked, then ate seven bars of chocolate/we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist” is one of the song’s less meaningful lyrics.

The Alchemy

Referencing while on the sidelines, touchdowns, teams, and trophies is either a total deception or the laziest of gestures toward Travis Kelce. My assumption is the former.

“The Alchemy” discusses Swift’s willingness to go on dates again following a breakup and her decision to accept the connection she has with the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.

In addition, she makes fun of the English guys she typically dates by remarking, “These blokes warm the benches.” Overall, the laid-back production of this song doesn’t make it stand out.

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

This song seems a little repetitive because “I Can Fix Him” and “But Daddy I Love Him” occur in the same universe. Despite having noteworthy words, the western-sounding denial ballad gets lost within the album’s finer tracks.

loml

Sonically, “loml” makes me think of “New Year’s Day” from “Reputation.” The themes are obviously in sharp contrast to one another, much like the song’s ending twist. Swift defies convention by referring to the song’s inspiration as the “loss of her life,” even though the acronym usually stands for “love of my life.” In a ballad filled with references to marriage or nearly marriage, Swift bemoans the fact that she has “felt a hole like this never before and ever since.” Swift asserts that Joe Alwyn’s wish to be her true love is unauthentic, most likely a reference to her ex-boyfriend. Sonically, this song is a bit of a snoozer, but it works incredibly well lyrically and philosophically.

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Swift pokes fun at Healy’s alleged pettiness after their breakup in another Healy song. When he disrupted her party, Swift implied that the allure of the affair had worn off and that she no longer desired him for an undisclosed reason. She said, “I just want to know if rusting my sparkling summer was the goal.” Swift asserts that her inspiration falls short of “any measure of a man.” It’s scorching, but not all that unusual when compared to previous biting Swift tracks. The build-up takes a long, and the reward falls short of expectations.

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

With a powerful chorus and even stronger bridge, Swift compares herself to a sparkling new gadget that her ex-boyfriend shattered. The line “But you should’ve seen him when he first got me” illustrates how Swift was once thought to be thrilling but was later broken by her partner. It’s interesting to note that she uses this song to justify her ex and sees herself as the issue, demonstrating complexity and self-blame for the breakdown of the relationship. The theme of the song is further enhanced by the numerous allusions to Barbies, Kens, army dolls, plastic grins, and puzzle pieces.

But Daddy I Love Him

This song, which is rare among the album’s lively and upbeat tracks, makes fun of Swifties for “sharing their concern” about her love life. The song has obvious similarities to “Love Story” and other early Swift songs, and she makes fun of herself by telling listeners she’s having her muse’s kid. But unlike “Love Story,” this song is consciously and purposefully naive. “But Daddy I Love Him” breaks up the album’s weighty tracklist with a much-needed dose of humor in between tracks that make me question everything. Its country-inspired production also gives the record breathing room.

Fortnight

The album opens with a bang, with Post Malone and Swift engaging in a fun back-and-forth akin to Bon Iver’s “Exile” and Gary Lightbody’s “The Last Time.” Swift must accept the truth that she hasn’t moved on from her ex in this song. My favorite Taylor Swift song is Bitter; if only it weren’t so depressing, it totally could have gone on “Midnights.” Although Post Malone sounds a little out of place on this song, it is nevertheless catchy.

Clara Bow

“Clara Bow” is a work of art. Swift manages to make the untouchable subject of celebrity and all of its accoutrements heartbreakingly relevant for her audience. Swift has previously addressed the subject of her ephemeral celebrity and public attention in a song about being the “it girl” in Hollywood.

“Clara Bow” is essentially an adult adaptation of “The Lucky One,” and the mention of Clara Bow makes allusions to the competitive spirit and pressure of the music industry as well as the starlets’ fame, beauty, mental health issues, and public scrutiny.

Every girl, famous or not, may relate to the production’s incredibly tragic quality. “You look like Taylor Swift in this light…,” the song concludes.

Florida!

“Florida!!!” is the perfect tune to let go of your worries and travel. Florence + the Machine is a great addition to this song; she skillfully incorporates her strong vocals into the sound, using a technique that is reminiscent of “Hurricane Drunk.

” Swift frequently compares her lovers to places; she refers to Florida as her getaway from her ex-boyfriend Alwyn as well as London.

Her affiliation with Alwyn in London ended along with their romance. She could only remain in Destin, signifying her dissatisfaction with what she gained from the relationship, even if her goal was to establish roots in London. The couple’s last “Florida!!!” belting is really potent.

 

Down Bad

 

Swift’s “Down Bad” is a fairly simple breakup ballad that gives a well-known expression a distinctive twist. Swift’s heartbreaking voice and the way she layers it are what make this song so unique.

She compares it to being kidnapped by aliens (stick with me) and how her lover makes her feel special by introducing her to new experiences before abruptly returning her to her previous location.

The layering, which is techno, futuristic, and occasionally alien-like (particularly when she sings “heaven-struck”), gives this otherwise ordinary breakup ballad substance. It’s beautiful how helpless “Down Bad” is.

Guilty as Sin (The Tortured Poets Department)

 

This sensual song is in every way reminiscent of a seductive romance book. Similar to her lyrics “Don’t Blame Me” and “False God,” Swift compares religious experiences to love. Swift says, “Without ever touching his skin, how can I be guilty as sin?” as she recalls things she and her muse never did.

Although it’s not the most innovative song ever, it is undoubtedly enjoyable and catchy. This is the song that is still playing in my head out of all the ones I listened to in preparation for this rating.

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? 

 

This was undoubtedly the album’s most unexpected song. I anticipated that TTPD would be a breakup album, as most people do, but this song reminded me more of the angsty “Reputation.”

“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” appears out of nowhere. Similar to “Reputation,” Swift expresses her disapproval of the music business and her detractors.

She also has no qualms about flaunting her accomplishments on this song, criticizing the unscrupulous business and the general public’s opinion of her.

This track is where she develops her power; the build-up and payoff are amazing. I began to question whether I had been too harsh on Taylor Swift in the past. Do I contribute to the issue?

 Fresh Out the Slammer

 

This was undoubtedly the album’s most unexpected song. I anticipated that TTPD would be a breakup album, as most people do, but this song reminded me more of the angsty “Reputation.”

“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” appears out of nowhere. Similar to “Reputation,” Swift expresses her disapproval of the music business and her detractors. She also has no qualms about flaunting her accomplishments on this song, criticizing the unscrupulous business and the general public’s opinion of her. The Tortured Poets Department

This track is where she develops her power; the build-up and payoff are amazing. I began to question whether I had been too harsh on Taylor Swift in the past. Do I contribute to the issue?

So Long, London (The Tortured Poets Department)

 

The fifth and sixth tracks on Swift’s albums are supposed to be the most intimate. The song “So Long, London” has the most number of “track five” ever. It’s really, really devastating. Swift’s delivery of the song sounds like a poetry slam, with each phrase being more powerful than the last, as the song opens with a church choir imitation. Swift made a blatant reference to their breakup in “Lover,” when she called Alwyn her “London Boy” before.

It captures the essence of wanting and attempting to make a relationship work, but ultimately having to let go of the other person even though you still love them.

With its intricate and colorful lyrics and an intense bridge, “So Long, London” is unquestionably the best song on TTPD. The Tortured Poets Department

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