evermore

I'm struggling to decide between a 1 and a 2 rating. I hope that my decision to give it 1 star doesn't stem from an intrinsic snobbishness, but I think I can still ground this rating in at least a superficial logic. Namely, that while this album wasn't offensive or unlistenabley bad, it was extremely bland. This blandness is coupled with the fact that the album is less than a year old, and hasn't had to withstand the test of time yet. I can't find anything in it that I could imagine is particularly new or has "redefined the genre." Therefore, although i'd rather listen to this kind of mediocrity than another 80s synth pop album, it still only gets 1 from me.

I'm pretty sure there's more than 1001 better than this one...

Is this a typical Taylor Swift record? If so, what the hell have I been waiting for. Subtle, beautiful, nuanced and heart-felt. This is an album where the songs are the stars, not the singer. For me that's refreshing. The songs are great I would just ask for a little more variety in tempo and musical arrangements (read wish it rocked harder in places). 4 🌟

I don't like modern pop music. This is a fact. Taylor Swift to me seems to be doing the same thing every other pop artist does. Nobody in the entire genre brings anything new to the table musically.

She's a champion in her field, but that's pop.

This is the musical equivalent of beige. It's a chicken korma. While it's not actively offensive, I find it genuinely bizarre as to why this has been included on a list of 1,001 albums to listen to. Speaking to my sister about it - she is, apparently, a fan of Taylor Swift - I should be paying attention to the lyrical wit and the musicianship. However - I'd genuinely prefer to listen to White on Blonde, a Texas album from 1997 that's known for being incredibly bland. I can honestly say that Texas is far more interesting, varied, punchy and listen-to-able. I cannot actually dislike this album - that would imply that it caused an emotion other the half-and-half mix of bafflement (as to why it's included) and boredom. Ultimately a nothingburger, I'm finding it hard to justify having written as much as I have about it. Oh well. At least I've listened to Texas again for the first time in nearly 25 years.

Like, I really hate listening to this type of music. Essentially what I hate about "pop music" is this perfect vocal-style, I like my vocals with some grit or humanness. This just feels so manufactured and processed. Instrumentally it's all fine, it's just pop vocals ruin it for me 100%. I have nothing against Taylor Swift as she clearly is successful at what she's doing, but it's just not for me in any capacity. Furthermore my impression is she has no different lyrical content beyond relationship woes which gets old, but I get it... that's a huge market. The better songs are with The National and Bon Iver but, it all still feels too "pure" for me. I can't relate to it at all. Like, it's like a 1 or 2 on enjoyment but I can't even properly rate this, so I guess it's just a 2 from me. I don't WANT to hate it but I really don't ever wanna listen to it again.

The experience of listening to hot chocolate while remembering your mistakes in a positive light. Great presentation, cozy vibes, and gifted songwriting.

The wiki entry for this one sure is a bunch of puffed up bullshit, ain’t it? I don’t care what sort of “creative chemistry” or “impressionist storytelling” Taylor Swift thinks she’s come up with; I don’t like listening to her pop garbage. This is a staggering achievement in mediocrity, maybe that’s why it made the list.

Now here's a surprise, never, ever thought I would like a Taylor Swift Album but I have to say, on first listen to this I am pleasantly surprised at her skillful songwriting and musical ability. Highlights for me "'Tis The Damn Season" "Willow" and "Coney Island". I am converted to a "Swifty" after listening to this wonderful album. Justifiably on the list!

There’s no such thing as “indie” music anymore, at least in the descriptive sense of the word. “Indie” used to mean music that came from independent record labels - and that covered a wide swath and many styles of music. Music from people that didn’t want to answer to anyone (especially a giant corporation), music that had something different to say, music that took chances. Now, “indie” just describes the kind of plucky, lifeless, navel gazing, easy listening quirk-pop that you hear on this record. “Indie” is the new elevator music. I’m serious about this…to use the parlance of our times: “don’t @ me”. That The National and Bon Iver, two of indie rock’s foremost purveyors of bland navel gazing, were involved in this record comes as no surprise to me. “evermore” is basically a Bon Iver record, with Taylor Swift’s vocals (which are, admittedly, very good) instead of Justin Vernon’s “T-Pain for people who buy artisan maple syrup” auto-tuned vocal stylings (though he does dust off that chestnut on the closing track). Maybe I’m just an out of touch old man yelling at a cloud, but a lot of this record is the kind of stuff you’d hear on Lite FM when I was growing up in the early 90’s.

If 2020 had any redeeming qualities to it, this listener begrudgingly admits this album was one of them. "evermore" seems to be Taylor Swift at her most balanced. The foundational country elements are noticeable here, and her foray into pop is too. This is a solid album with a rather unexpected enjoyment.

She has a great voice. If she would work with a real producer and some decent songwriters, she could have a real impact on music, not just on record sales. This is a perfect example of having a template for a song and being forced to copy it for an entire album.

Ah, Evermore, Folklore's younger sister. Evermore wouldn't have existed without Folklore, and so I think any discussion about Evermore should always involve Folklore. After all, Evermore only happened because Taylor and her music friends were celebrating finishing Folklore and... they just kept writing songs. I was so excited to get this - it's an album I have listened to its entirety multiple times, which is the first time I can say that about a generated album! I think this is Taylor's last great original album - Midnights was a hot mess with a few good ideas, and we won't even talk about the abomination that is TTPD. I do think that Folklore as a whole is better than Evermore (and that Folklore is her best album, period), as Evermore has felt to me like a collection of afterthoughts that were left off of Folklore. I think Taylor is at her best when she's not writing about herself, even though that's what she's known for and why she became so popular in the first place. The Folkmore albums are so special because she's weaving stories about (mainly) fictional others. I remember when this album was released and how much of a complete surprise it was - just seven months after Folklore, right before Christmas in 2020. I think it's a perfect wintry album and representative of that specific time - the isolation, the collective pause, the quietness that fell over that muted season. To me, this album evokes walking through a forest crunching through freshly fallen snow. Ultimately, though, I don't think Evermore belongs on this list - I would've argued for Folklore's inclusion instead - but it's a damn good album regardless. It's a good length, and it's not bloated (which certainly cannot be said about many of her other albums). I'll be listening to this again during my drives in winter, sipping on hot tea, surrounded by glistening snowflakes. Favourite tracks: "No Body, No Crime" (which is basically the 2020 version of "Goodbye Earl"), "Dorothea", and "Long Story Short"

This album is excellent - absolutely masterful production. I kind of knew earlier in a vague "not-her-target-audience" way that Taylor Swift deserves more credit than "pop icon on TV", but I'm very glad to have taken the time and listened to this full album. The poetic sensibility is brilliant: faintly classical in the construction and certain word choices, but naturally modern in overall tone at the same time. There are moments where I think this highly creative lyricism gets in the way of the musicality a tiny bit, but that is really the only flaw - and in the context of so many modern artists who provide nothing of value lyrically, I can't really say that caring about the narrative and poetry of a song just a little bit more than the melody can be seen as a downside at all.

Well well well, she popped up. Look I didn't hate it and the first one was quite catchy. I guess my problem with TS is that I just don't get the hype, like for me its all FINE and a lot of it is just so beige. I have enjoyed her tunes in the past, Shake it Off is a vibe, but a lot of this just blurred in. But I'm not going to give it a 1* just to make a point, cos it wasn't bad like recent Neil Young or Elvis Costello where it made me MAD.

Shit commodification of the indie rock and folk I really love, turning it into bland soulless corporate schlock. I hope she gets the masters for this taken away too.

I am reminded of the serious critical discussion in the late 80s about whether Madonna was an important artist. Consensus rightly came done on the side of "yes, Madonna a is an important artist". And, late last decade, the same kind of debate arose about Taylor Swift. She joked about not having cred in We are Never Getting Back Together, blowing off an ex-boyfriend who finds solace in "some indie record that's much cooler than mine". Pitchfork, that bastion of white-boy indie music critic cred, reviewed Ryan Adma's cover of the 1989 album before they ever reviewed one of Taylor's actual albums. I think we are at the stag enow when I think everyone can agree that Taylor Swift is, in fact, an important musical artist. Not just for her juggernaut album sales and massive tours, her enormous and devoted fanbase, her growing stash of Grammys and other awards, her massive chart success but also for her increasingly diverse and impressive catalogue. And this album, along with its sister-album predecessor, Folklore, were an important part of that critical re-appraisal. Taking advantage of the break form the album/tour cycle during lockdowns, she dug deep into what she really wanted to do and produced these more gentle folky, cottage-core records. They are something different from the styles she had previous success with, but like Madonna (or Bowie or any number of other important artists) she can explore and change. She still sounds like herself, and plays to her strengths (wordy, narrative songwriting, partly fictional, but with a confessional edge). There was an interesting discussion on the My Favourite Album podcast, where John Oates and the host favorably compare Taylor Swift with Joni Mitchell, particularly the courage to put their real emotions out there in a song (listen to https://www.everand.com/listen/podcast/647477520 from 16:30). An interesting comparison. Are the collaborators (The National,. Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons) chosen to boost the indie cred of the record? Maybe that is a little cynical, but they are mostly sympathetically chosen and add to her vision (with the exception of the singer form The National, whose voice sticks out like dog's bollocks). Certainly, after this record it was acceptable for sniffy white-boy rock critics to admit that they liked Taylor Swift. So, listening to the actual album, she can really craft a tune, and her lyrics have a great narrative feel and the emptions feel authentic (except No Body, no Crime, which I find a little clunky). The production is lush, spacious and unobtrusive. Personally, I'd like to hear a bit more grit in it, and truth be told, I prefer her pop albums, which are terrific fun. Is this a classic album for the ages? Well, it is certainly a mark of a maturing artist with things to say and the craft and resources to say it well. But it really is a bit soon to be calling this out as a must-hear classic. I'm sure Taylor has many more albums in her, and I am fascinated to hear where she decides to go. 3.5 stars, rounding up.

Because Taylor Swift is my wife's favorite artist, I've heard more of her work than I probably care to. Imo, this isn't her best work. It's good. It's chill. It's not exactly ground breaking.

6/10. The last thing you want from Taylor Swift is an album that goes on for a whole goddamn hour, but as it turns out, that might be exactly what you get. On the upside, I kinda liked it besides that, her lyrics have gotten more interesting at least, even if the music is just kind of yawny sad-girl hours

It's very funny to read the reviews of the album. From "crappy" to "genre novelty". I found the album quite decent. Nothing new under the sun, but very pleasant to listen to. (5/10) FT: evermore

Jesus Christ this woman has me in a choke hold. Never heard this album before and it’s instantly my favorite TSwift album. Her lyrics are Bob Dylan level. I SAID IT.

Favourite Taylor album, all bangers

The only Swift stuff I’m familiar with is the cd that contains Shake It Up. This is nothing like that. When I first started listening to this, I immediately thought that she sounded so much like Suzanne Vega. But what ‘s impressive about this is that she is such an impressive songwriter. It’s like she’s majored in popular music & topped the class. Cowboy Like Me slayed me. What a lyric. And she follows that with the poppy Long Story Short. I’ve played this album half a dozen times now & find it totally engaging. I kept thinking : but is there anything as good as Luka or Marlene On The Wall. I think there is (not sure about Tom’s Diner). A great listen.

A beautifully crafted album, cementing Swift's place as today's premier singer songwriter. Poetic, witty, insightful, Swift tells absorbing stories of doomed and sometimes happy relationships. The melancholy autumnal mood of this album is delightful - the production is excellent. Her prolific output is extraordinary - nine albums and she’s only 32 . So much more greatness to come.

the 3 genres i dislike the most are country, women with pianos and folk. congratulations to this album for combining the 3 into one mega pile of horseshit. there is nothing to salvage this music or the knob head that sings it.

Very beautiful. Her lyrical construction and turns of phrase are a joy.

This is an exquisite album. It's a big career leap few artists can successfully pull off even once. Taylor has deftly done this multiple times as if it were effortless. It's a stunning achievement. I am in love with this album. Deep and reflective lyrics backed by sparse, beautiful arrangements. There were so many striking moments where I stopped and just lost myself in the world of the song. Taylor is on an incredible journey and I'm happy to be able to tag along in this tiny way. Now I can unreservedly name one wonderful thing that came out of 2020.

I am skeptical that we have the perspective to determine the greats just a year later, but if anyone deserves the distinction it's T Swift. She has really made herself into a legend at a young age and continues to prove it. This album showcases her ability to do indie just as effectively as she navigates country or pop. The collaborations with Haim and Bon Iver are excellent surprises. "Cowboy like me" has permanently wormed it's way into my brain since I heard it. "No body no crime" is a hell of a well crafted song. The album drags toward the end, I think they could have cut some songs (like "coney island" "happiness" "long story short" and "marjorie"). But ultimately, the album showcases Taylor's exceptional and consistent songwriting ability and staying power.

Barf.

Pues muy bonito, ¿no? Coney island con The National

Each song on this album took me to such a vivid place. I loved each of these journeys. This is one I want to listen to again and again.

This was the perfect thing for a rainy Sunday afternoon. It felt sophisticated, intimate, and warm. Loved it.

Un samedi soir comme les autres

Listened to on 6/1/22 5/5 Favorite song: champagne problems, evermore, willow I love Taylor Swift and this album is no different - the perfect sad girl fall album

6/1/22 AHHHH!!! Screaming, crying and throwing up!! So excited about this! Absolutely love this album and have loved it for two years now! This is certainly not my first time listening all the way through. The album starts out so strong with hits of Willow and one of my absolute favorites of all time, champagne problems. Plus we get No body, No crime on this album which is AMAZING as well! So happy! Such a good day! Favorite song: I can’t pick just one, but my tops are champagne problems and no body

queen!

Passionate in a soulful way

What a treat this was, the first album that I have ever listened to from Taylor Swift. Hugely impressed and instantly replayed.

Judge me. I like folkie Taylor Swift. I have this on limited edition vinyl. Yeah i'm that person.

An album of good songs. Seems simple, very well done

Love this so much

Atmospheric, introspective, experimental. Just love it. I have pretty much listened to Folklore and Evermore since they came out. Soundtracks of the pandemic for me.

Enjoyed this, very pleasant to listen to. Not as pop-y as earlier stuff. She has a great voice

Exceptional and genre bending

lyrically one of her best albums!

I really don't like Taylor Swift. I expected her foray into folk to be a novelty, but this album was a pleasant piece of folk pop. I fully approve.

First Swift album I ever listed to... and I guess I am a Swiftie! This works - maybe because it's not that "Pop-y". Nice music and lyrics work.

Trim a few from the middle but otherwise pleasantly surprised

I drank too much and watched too much Netflix during the pandemic. Tswift dropped two unplanned albums. Quite impressive. This, along with folklore, were on heavy rotation for me at the time and seemed to fit the mood. So as they say, music takes you back to a moment in time, many of those memories are wrapped in this album (the good and bad). I’m a big fan of Jack Antonoff as well and you can hear his influences throughout.

One of her strongest albums. Bon Iver’s contributions cannot go understated on this. Also, not impressed with the level of misogyny in the reviews for this album. If you don’t like her music, rate her based on that - not because you have inherent biases against women.

So my girlfriend is a straight up Swifty, like to the max! I told her that todays album was evermore. Besides being very excited, she told me to listen to it with one thing in mined. The album come out just before we met each other and she associates it with the beginning of our romantic relationship… talk about heavy stuff. As I walk through the gray and dreary winter of Ohio snow is falling from the sky. A rushing river accompanies me alone with trees who are naked with out there leaves. One couldn’t ask for a better setting to experience evermore in its entirety. Admittedly, I enjoy songs more for the songs and instrumental components rather that lyrically. However I cannot deny I was swept away by not only Taylor’s voice but also her words. I always new she was such a talented writer but to hit on ever song and have such diversity is magical. I while evermore doesn’t move me as it may move my loving and incredible girlfriend, I found my experience to be one of a kind and am genuinely so thankful to be alive when Taylor Swift is making music.

No. 59/1001 willow 5/5 champagne problems 5/5 gold rush 5/5 'tis the damn Season 5/5 tolerate it 4/5 no body, no crime 4/5 happiness 4/5 dorothea 4/5 coney island 4/5 ivy 4/5 cowboy like me 3/5 long story short 3/5 marjorie 3/5 closure 3/5 evermore 5/5 Average: 4,07 Damn, am I actually a basic bitch? Always thought this and folklore were her best albums. But on this listen I enjoyed way more than in the past. Just lacks some diversity musically.

I wouldn't call Taylor Swift's albums "concept" albums, but many of her albums in recent years have definitely been what I would call aesthetic albums. She presents a specific aesthetic and dedicates to it. Historically, they've also been incredibly distinct, separate aesthetics, divided by time. Here, it's the opposite with her quick release succession of folklore and evermore. They're closely related, and yet not the same. To try to describe it: if folklore was an album about spring and summer, evermore would be an album about fall and winter. If folklore was an album about specific fairy tales told surrounded by clear skies, evermore is an album about experimental storytelling on a grey day at dusk. Ultimately, evermore is a little more mysterious and a little darker than her sister. evermore is a product of a specific time, as well. It speaks to a longing for soft folky music and flannel shirts and gentle campfires -- cozy things that people were looking to embrace during the times of COVID-19. I like a few songs by themselves on this album, but I find myself gravitating to the entire mood of the album. I realize that Taylor Swift is not for everyone, and her seemingly generic dreamy indie pop phase on display here may be even more polarizing. But one reason why I think her presence on this project is relevant is because Taylor Swift excels at establishing atmosphere, and this album is among her finest atmospheres. She has a poetic songwriting style that, in my opinion, shines brighter in this particular atmosphere. In the current decade, few artists are as dedicated to world-building in their music as she is.

Man I do love Taylor Swift, though this album pales in comparison to her new Midnights Album. Evermore and Folklore were both produced by her long-time collaborator, Aaron Dessner. But Midnights has more producers on it and I wonder if that is what makes it more experimental and interesting. But evermore is a quintessential Taylor album and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Gold rush has such a great melody at: “gleaming, twinkling, eyes like sinking ships on waters…” “Tis the damn season” is a beautiful song about a high school love you leave behind. It really hit home for me. “No body no crime” just sounds pretty phoned in to me. Pretty flat song. Does Hiam just do backup vocals? What a waste! “Happiness” is a tender breakup song. I love it. “Evermore,” the last track with Justin Vernon is the best of the album. I wish his vocals were louder during duet parts and all over the freaking album. In fact, just take Taylor out and put Justin in instead. And while we’re at it, let’s just call it a Bon Iver Album. Nah, I kid, Evermore is great and I can hear the Justin Vernon influence. Let’s not forget that this album was created during the pandemic and everyone had to write in isolation. Given that, it’s a miracle the writing and production is so cohesive. 4 Stars! It didn’t change by life but now I understand Taylor Swift better! Whe!

I love this sound and this direction for Taylor, but as a whole it still is the typical “love some songs, bored by others” experience I get from a lot of her albums. The aesthetic here is great though, I wish it was a little shorter/more consistent of a project so I would want to come back to it more. But tolerate it is just enough to push it into a 4 for me.

It's always the same with hyped media, people tend to get overly emotional about it. Fans often defend it from criticism by overpraising it, while detractors respond by exaggerating its flaws, making it seem worse than it actually is. While in reality, it's just painfully average.

Honestly, not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

This is just not the album for which Taylor should be on this list. That distinction goes to Folklore. She has that great album, a couple of “good but not as good as everyone says” albums and a bunch of very forgettable records. This one falls into the second category, it’s long and not as inspired as Folklore. Having said all that, Champagne Problems is easily the greatest song she’s ever written. A single album from the best 12 songs of that 2020 Taylor era, with Champagne Problems as the lead single would have already earned the full respect of everyone of us who are still waiting for her to unleash her full potential.

It was ok. But if she wasn’t dating Travis Kelce would we even know her name?

Listenable but soulless. It’s all so perfectly packaged it makes me nauseous.

Hey - it's the most recent album on the list, so that's impressive. I wouldn't say I'm a TS fan, but - whatever - I get it. She's a good storyteller, good songwriter, and she comes across as genuine. And this is definitely better than her first few country/pop albums. It seems much less radio friendly and more "artsy" - which I appreciate.

I appreciate how Taylor Swift has grown as an artist and songwriter; however, this really isn't my thing.

Went on a bit, but has nice moments.

A lot of these songs seem to hit the same chord for me. Good... not great. Really like the song with the lead singer of the National, though.

I was surprised for that such a recent album was on the list (2020). I like the bands that contributed to a few tracks on the album. Because of my daughters I have a soft spot for Swift's '1989' album. On this first listen all of the songs were okay but nothing really grabbed me. I kept waiting for a hook. A little bit of the language made me wonder if Swift was trying on a more "gritty' image. "Gold Rush", "Coney Island", and "Long Story Short" are the favorites, but this album firmly resides in "okay".

nice homogenic, got a bit boring at some point, nevertheless good stuff

Faded into the background.

Täysin basic mun korviin

The appearance of Taylor Swift’s evermore (yes, it’s all lower-case) on the generator serves as a decent enough avenue for discussing that curious critical position of revisionism known as poptimism. Our story starts in the early 80s, with numerous bands serving as transitional acts between late post-punk and indie decrying the tyranny of the riff and the rockstar. The attitude they were denouncing received the name rockism, which referred to the prejudice that rock, what with its instrumentality and phallocentricity and claims to artistry and claims to authenticity, was inherently better than other forms of popular music. So, some of the softer musicians and critics began a campaign of lauding the higher-end of pop music and slating the wankier end of rock. For instance, the eighties saw critics strap onto metal a chainmail codpiece of tempered naffness, whilst Marc Almond and Jarvis Cocker spent the decade championing Serge Gainsbourg, Burt Bacharach and above all Scott Walker. The perceptive reader will have noticed that these acts were hardly trapped in the oubliette of the inescapably passé. The perceptive reader will also have noticed that these were, broadly, male listeners extolling male musicians. What about women? Pop music, as distinct from rock music, hip-hop, country and so forth, finds its main audience in women, and its most loyal, most fervent and most emblematic audience in teenage girls. And in the 90s some critics began flipping the idea of authenticity, long so crucial to the critical primacy of rock, by arguing that the teenage girl is the real guardian of authenticity: her tastes are not afflicted by the pursuits of credibility or coolness, and thus she makes her choices with the pure, sincere criteria of whether she just likes it, and whether she fancies one of the boyband members who really just dances at the back. This is the aesthetic of poptimism (note that the term “poptimism” began as a pejorative against these attitudes, which adherents brassily adopted). It values prominent melodies, it sees accessibility as a virtue, it paints in the emotional primary colours of love, heartache and occasionally lust, and it fancies one of the dancers. Madonna’s canniness made her a key harbinger of poptimism, but by the year 2000, the prominence given to the Britney and Christina rivalry (which, let us remember, didn’t end too cheerily) indicated how central and overt poptimism had become to music. Since then, we have all witnessed a stream of predominantly female artists who have wilfully chosen some clear form pop as a genre for the most earnest artistic expression: to name just the most famous, Beyoncé, Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Lorde and today’s artist, Taylor Swift. Oh, and Paris Hilton gave it a stab too. I can’t be the only one mightily suspicious of poptimism, can I? Is there a musical movement more loaded with contradictions, more loaded with baggage? Firstly, the emphasis on listenability is hardly a unique trait to poptimism. It’s not as if rock mainly sought to sound bad. Secondly, pop has no genetic immunity to awful, grating noises, as Cher Lloyd’s Swagger Jagger confirms (why was there that fashion of rhyming “swagger” with “Jagger” in terrible songs? Oh well, let’s be thankful he wasn’t called Mick Jugger or, heaven forfend, Mick Jigger). Thirdly, it’s rather the rash assumption to declare that teenage girls’ tastes lack artifice and one-upmanship (one-upteenagegirlship?). I suspect there was a whole arcane semiotics of social posturing regarding which member of Take That/N-Sync/One Direction you fancied (and for that matter, isn’t it shallow to favour an act just because you want to get off with one of the members? A teenage boy in 1998 wishing to masturbate over Britney Spears would just watch the video to ...Baby One More Time plank in hand, and not actually buy the sodding album). Fourthly, why isn’t the 9-year-old bratty younger brother’s disdain for pop just as honest and unaffected as his 14-year-old sister’s fondness for Westlife? And again, at least the 9-year-old’s contempt is driven by a distaste for the music, and not by a rival crush on Abz from 5ive. Fifthly, poptimism’s defenders seem desperate to deny the role irony plays in their appreciation. Are they genuinely that resolute in their insistence that there’s no element of kitsch involved? I’m not buying that for a second. And if you don’t value a particular instance of kitsch, it will only sound crap. Sixthly, although pop is of course not reserved exclusive for one demographic, it behoves one to acknowledge that record labels market pop towards a youthful, female audience. As a hairy man in my thirties, it shouldn’t astound anyone that the poptimistic buffet doesn’t have much I wish to stuff my face with. Seventhly, the poptimists’ rejection of rockism as tired, clichéd and arrogant didn’t foster a movement that was original and alive, but a movement that was, if anything, more tired, clichéd and arrogant. Is there a pop equivalent of Trout Mask Replica, or even Electric Ladyland? One yearns for these divas’ reaches to exceed their grasps, yet they appear stuck on the party anthem/sexy boudoir jam/sentimental ballad treadmill. Eighthly, the industry behind poptimism appears the cynical milking of cheap sentiments for naught but a quick buck that will, with scant exception, never actually enter the pocket of the poor fool singing the damned songs. I’m all for ignoring the circumstances of a song’s genesis, but I’m not so contrary that I deny learning of such exploitation sours the song. Ninthly, it can’t be healthy to consume only one genre, can it? Just as a child who only munches on Nik-Naks and Wham bars won’t reach 6 foot, an exclusively poptimist diet surely stunts your aesthetic growth. Tenthly and I hope finally, of course there’s always been good bubblegum pop, pop that sounds sweet and buoyant and alleviates the listener’s cares. However, there’s also always been much more bubblegum pop that’s tripe, that depresses the listener with its inanity and tattiness. Much of the good stuff that’s survived has only survived after decades of risk assessment, and actively seeking to produce such gems will also produce far more stinkers, simply due to the numbers and the nature of the process. Throw enough darts, and at some point you’ll hit the bull. That doesn’t make you Eric Bristow. In fairness, many of the alpha chicks of poptimism flirt with other genres, demonstrating (or at least trying to demonstrate) their range and versatility: Lady Gaga, for example, fused her poptimistic leanings with electroclash sleaze. Taylor Swift’s evermore is one of those crossbreed albums, where Taylor continues her exploration of folk and employs techniques lifted from contemporary American indie; Swift collaborated extensively with The National’s Aaron Dessner on evermore. Now, I recently reviewed some album by The National (I had to look up what it was: it was called High Violet, not that anyone cares). It was soporifically dull in the way that only albums made with exceptional good taste can be. And evermore is similarly boring for similar reasons. Taylor Swift is so keen to show you all the depth and sincerity of her craft, she neglects to include anything beyond that craft, and thus the listener merely shrugs at the record. Even on the occasion she says “fuck”, everyone clocks that this is a tasteful fuck, on the same level of a dramatically justified sex scene that doesn’t even show a nipple. You try beating off over that. While reviewing evermore, I gave a listen to 1989, Taylor Swift’s other album on the list. 1989 is firmly a poptimistic work, and I couldn’t stand it. It confirmed every one of my reasons for holding poptimism in disdain. So logically, I prefer evermore. But here’s the kicker: I could remember songs from 1989. I could remember melodies and lyrics from 1989, even if I didn’t want to. I can’t recall a sound from evermore, except for when Swift said fuck. Maybe some other souls can recite the entirety of evermore like a hafiza proving her piety by memorising the Quran. But I am not a religious man, and I don’t believe the rote learning of Taylor Swift will send me to paradise.

Ugh. I did not need to hear this album before I died. I did not care for it. I suffered through it.

Καμια ποιοτητα στη παραγωγη, απολυτα βαρετα κομματια. Τιποτα σπουδαιο στα vocals, απλα καποιες smooth catchy μελωδιες. Επαναλαμβανομενα κομματια. Κριντζ και κορνι λυρικς. Rating: B-

pas écouté et pas envie .

não gosto de taylor swift, jamais gostarei de taylor swift, pra mim é a grande representação de um bife de frango que não ficou tempo suficiente dourando e acabou ficando pálido e sem graça

pqp kkkkkkkkkkkkkk #quintou devia ter ficado no pop comum. essa parada de folk pau mole é muito chato mano. achei paia. o album mais não fede nem cheira do mundo. muito sem graça, parece que falta alguma coisa no album todo.

I read a review of this album that said “this is the musical equivalent of beige” and that is a perfect comparison in my opinion. This is very bland music, lyrically, vocally, and musically. Almost nothing for me to sink my teeth into. This is my first time really listening to Taylor Swift and I did not enjoy it. This is like AI generated pop music, easy to sell, easy to consume.

God this is dull. While I’m a fan of cohesive albums, this is like a gradient of all the most inoffensive beiges—everything sounds like everything else and everything sounds fucking boring.

NO, just fucking NO. Like how in the world is this on any "must hear" list. Empty pop vacuums for 12 year olds..really?

One of the 1001 greatest albums of all time? Erm.... nah, mate, it's shite.

Why?

masterpiece

Amazing, poetic, stunning, I am a gay man

It might just be because I listened to this while reading a book by the window at night under mood lighting but this hit the fucking spot bro

Oh my god, the haters in these reviews… Look, I understand she’s the biggest star in the world, and naturally that’ll inspire some backlash, but this album proves she’s got the talent to back it up. Taylor Swift has more musical ability than 90% of top 40 artists combined. Folklore is probably more deserving of the “1001” spot than this, but Evermore certainly can hold its own. It’s stunning, it’s haunting, and it is absolutely deserving of its reputation (hey, that’s the name of another Taylor Swift album!). I'd love for Taylor to take more indie left turns like this. She’d probably own it.

This album and Folklore are my two favorite Swift albums. I loved the more chilled vibes we get from the songs spanning across Evermore. I saw this pop up this morning, and immediately hit play as I was walking out the door to walk the dog. To me it represents Taylor’s best work as an artist. It’s most deserving of her stuff to be on the list in my opinion.

One of the best albums by her

I like folklore better. Evermore is better than her overtly pop stuff, though.

This is one of the other reasons this lady makes $10 million every single day.

Surprisingly excellent. Started off really, really strong and only got slightly weaker before ending on the high of evermore. I started off at a high 4, but I started listening again to pick out the highlights and realised that almost every song is a highlight. Extra-special highlights: willow, champagne problems, gold rush, tolerate it, no body no crime, ivy, and evermore.

I'm not one of those people who hate every album of this woman just because hating all Swift-related sh*t is apparently trendy these days. While I do admit I'm not the biggest fan of her earlier stuff (excluding a couple of songs, I dislike most of the self-titled album, 'Speak Now' and 'Red'), but I do admit that she put out some solid pop stuff throughout the years, the album '1989' being the prime example of it. I can appreciate good pop when I hear it, and she's put out some bangers, even if she's also had some pretty big misses (see her latest travesty of an album, or the slightly better, but still painfully overloaded 'Midnights'). 'Folklore' and 'evermore' took me by surprise, though, mostly because it's not the kind of sound I'm used to hearing from her... and it was a pleasant surprise. Both albums had a mellow vibe, were nicely arranged and pretty-well written from a songwriting perspective. While most people I know prefer 'Folklore', I'm glad 'evermore' ended up on this list, as it's in my opinion, Taylor Swift's best album. Whenever someone asks me why I prefer 'evermore', I always answer that unlike its sister album, it doesn't start to drag midway through. While there are tracks I'd easily cut from 'Folklore', I don't feel that way about any part of this album. Even the bonus tracks hold up, with 'right where you left me' being one of my personal favourites. Highlights: cowboy like me; 'tis the damn season; no body, no crime; dorothea; right where you left me; champagne problems 4.5 stars

If you time traveled and told me that the blonde Disney “Teardrops on My Guitar” country star who I listened to as a guilty pleasure when I was 14 made a classic album, Evermore is the album I would’ve imagined in my head. Ironically, adult me would be talking about Folklore, and while this is no Folklore, Evermore is pretty damn close. If Folklore is Swift on her Joni, Evermore is Swift being herself, mature and at full strength after all these years. I was so dismissive toward this when it came out, and I think it’s because Folklore was just so overpowering and such an obvious, instant classic (although it was a bit of a personal grower for me), and it was hard to not see this album as a b-sides companion to those sessions, especially given the release timeline. Listening to this now, it’s a lot closer to her country music roots, like a barrel-aged version of Fearless/Speak Now. Songs like “No Body, No Crime,” and “Ivy” have that twang but bring a singer-songwriter touch to that style; meanwhile, songs like “’Tis The Damn Season” and “Cowboy Like Me” add some Nashville gleam to coffee shop jams. But most of Evermore is just a quiet record, with observational lyrical tales that seem to have nothing to do with Taylor herself, for once. It works, though, because sonically, this feels like her at her most authentic. This lends her the opportunity to explore her talents with full-on confidence, and while that normally means sparse acoustic numbers like “Dorothea,” and “Champagne Problems,” it also allows for an eco-friendly spin on her pop charters, with “Long Story Short” and “Gold Rush,” and more subtly on “Marjorie” and “Closure.” And while this whole record is clearly strong, it’s elevated by its bookends – the opener and closure rival the best Taylor Swift songs ever, and may win out in some pairings, in my opinion. I still think it has a couple misses in my opinion, mainly in “Happiness” and “Tolerable,” but I’d be lying if I tried to pretend it wasn’t an excellent record overall. It’s so good that even the bonus tracks are not only excellent, but essential to her overall discography, especially “Right Where You Left Me.” This is one of those records that would be any other artists’ magnum opus, but [un]fortunately, Swift has a claim to at least 3 magnum opuses, and a minimum of 5 essential classics. Would I personally add Evermore to either of those lists? No – I still think Folklore should be on this list before Evermore, and I’d argue Speak Now and Red are at least as deserving of a spot here. (If Bowie and Costello and Young and Nick Cave and all these other men get so many, even if I like a lot of those discographies so far, I’d say Taylor is easily deserving too, because she’s 100% seen at that level by now.) But just because I’m personally more likely to play Reputation or Red, I still know that Evermore is great. It’s especially great if you want a more authentic, consistent version of Taylor, one that is less of a pop star, but also one that isn’t fully Nashville. But maybe I’m just a braindead Swiftie. Honestly, even I can’t tell at this point.

Outstanding. I had no idea Taylor Swift had albums like this.

It's an incredible well written heartfelt pop album, if I HAD to nitpick, I wish it was a bit more rocky in places but the ending track is such a banger

Loved it

I don't consistently like Taylor's stuff (the kids like her but she sings about relationships pretty much all the time). This is one of her best- it's downbeat and carefully crafted. She's very good at what she does.

I like the folks vibe

I really love this album. It appeals to a lot of my sensibilities. “Closure” sucks but overall good stuff.

Charming

Mellow and awesome

Best Album ever.