Taylor Swift

[getawaywithit]

I think all the songs on evermore are undeniably good, some of them just incredible, but it does lack the magic of folklore and they come off a bit disjointed...... and while she did the ‘stories about other lives’ thing well on folklore, on evermore it just feels a bit too overdone so that the songs aren’t as evocative for me. Idk. Maybe at this point in her career I’m so used to hearing Taylor’s voice speak to Taylor’s emotions, but while for example, “ivy” is a really good song, I just dont believe it and don’t feel like listening again.

To me, some songs come off like pieces of lyrics and tropes that Taylor likes, all put together to make a narrative, which is absolutely fine, but just makes more for like a soundtrack album, a “look what I can do”, rather than the magic of the unexpected and imaginative folklore.

The album comes off more as a flex, like “I can do it again” (write a great, lyrically driven indie record in lockdown), and “look I can write songs about cheating wives and broken engagements” which is undeniably impressive..... but for me it does as one poster said “dilute” the special quality of folklore and what it was. That said, they are all great tracks so why keep them to yourself. But ultimately a little b side record might’ve been preferable, if we are just talking about the legacy of her album releases.

 

[royray]

I think Evermore is a slow grower but don't think it's even close to Folklore. There are a couple I really like - Champagne Problems and Long Story Short - a few I like but the rest is just background music to me. I love the duet with Bon Iver on Folklore but really dislike it on Evermore.

Maybe I'm just weird, but I actually prefer the duet with Bon Iver on evermore to folklore, exile is probably the song I like the least on folklore.

 

[Polkadot123]

I think it will be good if she does another pond session like she did with folklore. I liked her explaining stories behind the songs and how they were wrote.

 

[Lilykins]

Ah I have so much love for Evermore! I like that the songs all sound different but cohesive , whereas for me on folklore some blur a bit for me - epiphany, hoax and peace is all abit of a blur at the end that I even forget Betty is in there too. But I love both and I can’t really pick between them - I think they compliment and link to each other nicely .

 

[PreciousVenus]

It took about 3 or 4 listens of Evermore for the songs to grow on me...first time through I hated it and thought it was boring and samey. Now I'm liking some of the tracks more than Folklore, although nothing is as good as August. I'd still cut Dorothea, Closure and possibly Ivy and Happiness.

 

[JodieGreen123]

Listening to 'Tolerate it', it breaks my heart as I've been in a relationship like that before. Her stories or not, she tells them very well.

 

[Lilykins]

Listening to 'Tolerate it', it breaks my heart as I've been in a relationship like that before. Her stories or not, she tells them very well.

Made me think it might refer in part to her mum and dad and what she saw from their relationship.

 

[MarmiteExtract]

It took about 3 or 4 listens of Evermore for the songs to grow on me...first time through I hated it and thought it was boring and samey. Now I'm liking some of the tracks more than Folklore, although nothing is as good as August. I'd still cut Dorothea, Closure and possibly Ivy and Happiness.

Haha, the four you'd cut are my four favourites on Evermore. Funny how opinions/tastes between fans differs so widely.

I'd cut No Body No Crime, Tolerate It, Coney Island and Long Story Short. Immediate skips for me.

 

[slugella]

Folklore is still my fave of the two but I have been listening to evermore on repeat this week at work! I love Champagne Problems, tis the damn season, and long story short. I really like Coney Island but I wish it wasn't a duet. Don't like the Bon Iver duet on evermore but loved exile.

 

[Tiggerhappy]

The only 2 I'm not dying about are closure and long story short. The 2 bonus tracks need further listens.

 

[calmyourritas]

I’m definitely in a minority I prefer Lover to Folklore and Evermore I’ll see myself out

 

[openbook1]

Made me think it might refer in part to her mum and dad and what she saw from their relationship.

Yeah, her parents are separated now. Her dad in Florida and mum in Nashville.

I’m definitely in a minority I prefer Lover to Folklore and Evermore I’ll see myself out

I LOVE Folklore and Evermore. BUT, Lover is one of my favourite albums, sooo many good tunes.

Favourite album - least favourite at least for now.
1. Lover
2. Evermore
3. Folklore
4. 1989
5. Red
6. Speak Now
7. Taylor Swift (her debut has so many hidden gems, can't wait for the rerecord of it)
8. Reputation
9. Fearless

 

[fiffle-faffle]

I’m definitely in a minority I prefer Lover to Folklore and Evermore I’ll see myself out

I quite like Lover - I'm not a massive fan of 1989.

I'm loving this thread by the way - it's refreshing being able to appreciate Taylor's music with likeminded people. None of my friends get it!

 

[orlyb1310]

I'm not a massive fan of 1989.

SCANDALOUS!!!!!!!

 

[openbook1]

SCANDALOUS!!!!!!!

Even more scandalous... I LOVE Welcome To New York. I moved to a new country when it came out and listened to it all the time, lol.

 

[fiffle-faffle]

SCANDALOUS!!!!!!!

Hear me out - I genuinely think this is why.

I was supposed to be taking my daughter (who was 10 at the time) to the 1989 tour but she was really poorly. Being the bad mother I am, I still went but with my sister. She sat through it with a face like a slapped arse because she didn't really want to go and so I was a bit narked and I thought Taylor was a bit preachy.

So I think it's negative connotations that has made me not really like it as much as her other stuff.

I also really love Reputation

 

[orlyb1310]

Even more scandalous... I LOVE Welcome To New York. I moved to a new country when it came out and listened to it all the time, lol.

I love it in the context of this playlist

 

[Chateau Marmont]

I’m definitely in a minority I prefer Lover to Folklore and Evermore I’ll see myself out

Lover is just okay for me. A few tracks I love like the title track, I Think He Knows, Miss Americana, Paper Hearts, and Soon You'll Get Better but otherwise I find the songs too similar and it all becomes one bland mass of nothing.

My unpopular Taylor music opinion is I love Me! It's so silly but for me that's what makes me fun.

 

[Lilykins]

Lover is just okay for me. A few tracks I love like the title track, I Think He Knows, Miss Americana, Paper Hearts, and Soon You'll Get Better but otherwise I find the songs too similar and it all becomes one bland mass of nothing.

My unpopular Taylor music opinion is I love Me! It's so silly but for me that's what makes me fun.

Agree with this - I feel like she tried hard to write this upbeat, power play of an album to compensate for reputation (which I love btw so I personally don’t feel she needed to) which didn’t get any real Grammy nods etc. She wanted to come back around as the romantic and soft pop star with all bells and whistles but for me it all just felt a bit hollow. I almost feel like she rushed bringing it out as well to reestablish her ‘reputation’ and because she had a new label. I like some of the songs but for me it doesn’t hang together as much as I wished it did.

 

[openbook1]

One of the things I love about Taylor's music is her "rant" style bridges... they are quite unique to her!

They are in:
The Other Side of The Door (legendary)
Out of the Woods
Getaway Car
Cruel Summer
Death By A Thousand Cuts
August

Not sure if Evermore Has one?
Probably the one in Champagne Problems or in Ivy when she sings: "
So yeah, it's a fire
It's a goddamn blaze in the dark
And you started it
You started it
So yeah, it's a war
It's the goddamn fight of my life
And you started it
You started it."

Highly recommend listening to the songs in that order. You will have a serotonin rush, lol.