evermore

I’m a fan of pandemic-era Taylor; but should Folklore have been included instead of Evermore? Yeah, of course. It has better tunes and came first. I still like this, though. The songwriting is top-notch and for every slightly uninspiring track there are a couple that effectively up the energy or tug on the heartstrings. 3.5 stars

not bad not great, listened 2x and some catchy tracks 3.1/5

I just don't get it. This was a very tedious album.

Classic Taylor. Moody. Very folk and chill.

Really good songs. Simple but elegant production, beautiful voice, tunes that sweep you up subtley. A whole album is a bit samey, a bit singer-songwritery (of course). High quality; not something that I personally would listen to much. Strangely, if the album was a bit shorter, it would have more punch.

Extremely generic. I know it kinda supposed to be that way. It's pop so... Taylor Swift just tries to be a bad bitch in some songs and in other songs she is a kind teen girl. I don't like the split personality. She tries too hard to show all of her faces on the single album. 2/5 is generous.

You know, it may not be exactly my thing, but I can see why people like it. Much better than I was expecting.

This is quite a shift in continuity for me...I was just getting around to listening to Taylor's catalog starting from her releases in the 2000s and now this album crops up, one that was released during arguably the singer-songwriter's most successful decade yet. My frame of reference is small here. I say it feels like a more mature, sobered-up, and melancholic take on her debut minus the more upbeat perky country tracks that that project was riddled with. "The National" member Aaron Dessner's production style is minimalistic with most of the instrumentation consisting of subtle electronic-esque drum machine, piano, and acoustic guitar. It makes for a very dreary atmosphere while still feeling like a warm blanket on a brisk morning. I particularly like "tolerate it" for that exact reason. I like the bolder instrumentation on "no body, no crime" with HAIM which has one of the sticker melodies. Generally, the music sounds great and is luscious when it needs to be. Minimalism works in this record's favor especially considering these tracks' subtle build-ups. Lyrically speaking, a majority of this record's subject matter can be bottled down to Taylor's "romantic troubles", but that would be an unfair assessment since there's a subtle depth to the way Taylor chooses to portray her adult life relationships. For example, I like "happiness" which tackles the limits of maturing post-relationship. I also really enjoyed the duet "coney island" with The National member Matt Berninger. Lyrically it's a nostalgic look at a relationship but the highlight here is the way the two's vocals blend near the end of the song. The other duet on this album with Bon Iver works very well as a closer as well. "long story short" is Taylor's optimistic look at her future but also her satisfaction with where she is in the present. This is a good folk-pop record but, admittedly, I do think it's too long for its good. The lyrical themes and overall concept never got dull, but the minimal nature of the production and Taylor's vocals left me worn down by the end. There's no sticky hook or pop track to be found in the mix here, which I respect, but I tend to also really enjoy those Taylor tracks. Nevertheless, I respect Taylor for sticking to her guns and fully committing herself to the intimate mood she sets out to capture with this album's sound.

This album sounds like it was created from the hands of a cottage-core goddess. Between this and folklore Taylor Swift expanded her sound to appeal to wider audiences. I kinda get it, cuz it’s not a bad album and it’s refreshing to hear a departure from the overly produced pop anthems of her and Jack antoff. The storytelling is a vivid continuation of the fictional Folklorian universe, with themes of messy, young adulthood at play. touché, swift, touché. My favorite songs were Willow, No Body No Crime, ‘Tis the Damn Season and Ivy. Great addition to Taylor Swifts other albums on this list. Also love the features. This has been a Chloe and Rolf joint review thank you.

This album, to be fair, is less pop, more indie folk. Completely unplugged and minimalistic with soft piano playing and finger picked guitar with hardly any precussion at all, but it's still Tay Tay. Even though this is a stripped down album, the pop bullshit is still there. I just really hate modern pop music. A review I read of this album made an interesting point that I kind of relate to. The vocals of this pop shit are so God damn polished that there are literally no flaws or grit or humanness to them at all. The musical accompaniment is fine, and just based on music alone, it is fine, but the manufactured vocals just leave a bad taste in my mouth. Not to say that Taylor can't sing, because she can, but the vocals are just.... Too perfect.... I guess?!? I like to feel like I'm listening to a human sing to me, not a robot. This album was fine, just really not my jam.... At all. Favourite songs: cowboy like me, champagne problems, coney island, dorothea, marjorie, evermore Least favourite songs: closure, happiness (there's the break up song....there's one on every Taylor Swift album...) 2/5

Didn't know I would like her music...but it's great

Having never listened to a Taylor Swift record… this was not bad. Not my go-to but better than I expected

Such a pure voice and hauntingly beautiful lyrics that pay tribute to love won and lost and the wisdom gained along the way. This album isn’t the teenage pop songs that put her on the charts but instead a peek into her reflective soul. Grateful for the dark humor of “no body, no crime”. Reminds me of “Earle” by the Dixie Chicks. Pure Taylor Swift.

Jolie dentelle. Un peu tranquille et songeur à mon goût

Ok, I know you’re an authentic musician and you’ve every right to write and record whatever you want. But… I’m here for your pop anthems, karaoke classics, car tape sing-a-longs and wedding dance floor favourites. I don’t give a shit about your hour of considered folk ballads. Sorry Taylor.

Don’t know why this album is on the list over folklore. When folklore came out I was so impressed with it and how much I enjoyed a Taylor swift album, when this came out I gave it one listen thought it sounded very similar to folklore and never came back to it. To be fair if they came out in a different order I might have the complete opposite view. So I tried to listen with a open mind today, this is a good singer songwriter album, makes my think of Bon iver as a obvious comparison, does it deserve to be on the list, I think considering this and folklore together as two similar albums, yes one of them should most likely be included.

Has to be considered in the context of her previous record but this isn't folklore side B. Underappreciated by some fans, this just may be the better album. The indie era is alive and well. Favorites: Willow, Tolerate It, Long Story Short.

I like the 2 "indie" Taylor Swift albums a lot. I'm not sure if this is better than Folklore but it is really good. I'm not sure it should be on this list so shortly after it's release. It needs more time to marinate. It's a 4 but I'm giving it a 5. T Swift seems to be growing more and more divisive and her star grows somehow bigger and bigger. I'm no hater so a 5 it will be to spite the whiners.

I wouldn't have expected that this would be the album that would be on the list. It's listenable.

Background noise

This isn't exactly bad, but it's also not really anything. It's overproduced and seems like normal inauthentic pop music. Music for people who just listen to whatever is on terrestrial radio. I don't see how the type of person who would take on this project really needs to hear this. Even if they haven't heard this specifically, they've heard it many times before.

If you've heard one you've heard the album. I knows there even better taylor swift than this. Do I have to listen to 8 other better albums by her on this list?

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.

Cet album est bel exemple d'une présence seulement pour mettre à jour un peu la liste. Tellement d'albums aussi récents seraient des meilleurs concurrents. Ce n'est vraiment pas un mauvais album, mais c'est loin d'être quelque chose de mémorable qui va marquer des générations. Je l'ai mieux aimé que 1989, mais c'est du folk très simple qui ne se démarque aucunement. Vraiment très beige. 5/10

Very similar sounding throughout on sound and subject. Had some cool collaborations.

This album has the sharp edges of a basketball.

Haven't really listened to much Taylor Swift before, just heard the radio hits from time to time. champaign problems is the stand out track so far, willow was pretty good too. no body, no crime is a great twist on a murder ballad. Back half of the album was a little weaker than the front half, but evermore (song) is pretty good.

good

Don’t even have to listen, I already know it’s a 5 and a peak of the 12 albums so far. But I obviously will gladly listen again.

A totally forgettable singer-songwriter album. Will not listen again.

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

Evermore is a really strong follow up to Folklore and shows just how much Taylor Swift has grown as a songwriter. The album leans into indie folk and alternative pop again, but it feels slightly darker and more atmospheric. The storytelling is cinematic and detailed, with characters and narratives that pull you in. It is reflective, moody and beautifully arranged. Somewhere along the way I have realised I might actually be a Taylor Swift fan. No Body, No Crime is a clear standout. It has that noir country edge and a gripping storyline that makes it instantly memorable. It adds a bit of grit to an otherwise delicate and introspective record. There are no obvious weak spots. The album feels cohesive and carefully constructed, and it rewards listening all the way through rather than picking out just one or two tracks. Favourite track: No Body, No Crime Least favourite: None. It is consistently strong Album artwork: Muted and mysterious. A cool, understated cover that perfectly matches the tone of the music

4.8/5

Favorite Tracks: willow coney island (feat. The National) evermore (feat. Bon Iver)

I think this is a very good album, one of Taylor’s recent best, but it seems like kind of an odd pick for an All-Time Essentials list. It’s still so new and it isn’t particularly groundbreaking, in general or for Taylor. She absolutely belongs on this list, but I don’t know that this album does. 3.5 but I’m rounding down for that.

I listened to a playlist Tim made of the best songs from this album and it was fine.

Nice chill music

Not my type of music at all and I cant say I enjoyed it. I've never listened to this my TS ever and it was much better than I assumed it would be. I guess it's good pop music.

The only Swifty reference i can relate to is Rick and Morty doing.. Get Swifty. Lol I'm really not a Taylor Swift fan in any way, but I do recognise she has a wide appeal to kids. Anyway... this album... well Taylor can sing, has a nice voice and vocal range, but it's just that this album was back to her country / folk roots.... and if there's ever a genre I hate with an absolute passion... its country. So ok, this isn't a hick country album, it is more folk music, but I still have only 2 words to sum up the album. Incredibly Booorrrrring 💤

yes

Si je voulais écouter du Taylor Swift, j’allumerais la radio

Apart from a few moments near the end of this (couldn't say which songs) giving me slight Laurie Anderson vibes, this didn't do much for me. Slick pop with a few quirky twists and lyrics that really didn't speak to me.

Refused to listen.

First ever listen to Taylor. Loved it! Such pretty singing and instrumentation

Not my genre, I’m not here target audience but I can recognize that this is a really good album. The National and Bon Iver collars are really good too - that’s more my speed.

Pienet alkukirjaimet biisien nimissä on mulle vähän liikaa, tumblr-estetiikkaa 10 vuotta myöhässä. Mutta aika kiva albumi! On haluttu pientä ja maanläheistä, ja siinä pysytään yllättävän hyvin.

Levyn riisuttu estetiikka on lähellä vahvuutta, mutta taitaa silti olla heikkous: dynamiikkaa yksinkertaisesti kaipaa. Biiseistä: helvetin kova avausraita, ja Ivy on Olivia Rodrigon Lacyn esivanhempi. Valikoima vajoaa kuitenkin kokonaisuutena suvantoihin. 2,5.

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

Meh

Not bad, can tell she was knocking about with Justin Vernon and The National.

Not my favourite of hers, but mostly pretty enjoyable. Some of this is on a playlist that my toddler falls asleep to, so it's possible that I've just been overexposed to a lot of it and that's taken it down.

Taylor swift is one of the more important acts to have emerged in the last 15 years or so. This is a terrific album. My only issue is that it takes about 10 years to take the determine canon… but it’s a great album. So 5 stars. But will it still be on this type of list in 5 years? Red or 1989 would be more appropriate. I suspect this will go down as an important album. I suspect rather as an important album in an important artists catalogue of work than an important album in its own right. Sort of like comparing ‘blonde on blonde’ to ‘Nashville skyline’. But any look at critics choice or awards from any given year will see a whole range of excellent albums now forgotten. I hope this isn’t one.

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.

I am reminded of the serious critical discussion in the late 80s debating whether Madonna was an important artist or just an inconsequential pop chancer. Consensus rightly came done on the side of "yes, Madonna is an important artist", which history subsequently validated. 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 Adam's cover of the '1989' album before they ever reviewed one of Taylor's actual albums. But I think we are at the stage now when 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, and her historically 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 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.

A well produced and richly arranged collection of songs, if a bit bland and dragging in pace. Honestly better than I expected from Taylor Swift. But I am definitely not a fan of her lyrical style, which I would describe as rambling verisimilitude, peppered with overly-repeated refrains. As contemporary pop goes, this is close to as good as it gets, but I found myself waiting for it to end. Fave Songs: Champagne Problems, Willow, Tolerate It, Tis the Damn Season

USED TO THINK IT WASNT GREAT. NOW I LIKE IT.

After listening to 1989 my hopes were pretty high when it came to my second Taylor Swift album. Unfortunately, this is a very different album in many ways. It was much to soft and monotone for me, and there wasn't a real hit on the album I could identify. Pop Taylor is what hits the spot for me, this was altogether skippable. Highlight: no body, no crime Lowlight: cowboy like me Surprise Hit: champagne problems

Gotta love the reviews on this. I'm no apologist, but the slander is real. This is a break from her country and pop roots to create a warm heartfelt sister album Masterpiece in Folklore and Evermore. This is the lesser of the two, but poppy? Manufactured? Please... the reason. This sounds like othe music is because every artist is trying to accomplish what she has and stil is. You've gotta love when someone succeeds at their goal (songwriting) so astonishingly well that those that decrie her claim the work is contrived, or banal. No, it's so good you can't believe it was constructed by a mere mortal.

Not many albums can give me a negative physical reaction, and for that it gets a 2. I had to listen to this in two seperare listens so i could actually critique it properly instead of seeing it as music i don't like personally. The only reason it doesn't get a 1 is that there are some bearable songs on here as opposed to others albums where I have to turn it off straight away or my ears bleed. It's so simple but it being simple makes it so much worse instead of making it better like it should be. These lyrics are also questionable. I'm not against pop by any means because things like RAZZMATAZZ slaps. This just feels like semi emotional elevator music. Actually that's mean to elevator music

Evermore is a bit of a slow burn. The first time I heard it, I wasn't a huge fan. Listened to it a bit more over the last year and it really does grow on a person. I'm not saying its for everyone, but man it's a really good, well-crafted album. The lyrics are rich, the music is just the perfect addition to the lyrics to help them really soar. Really a 5/5 album.

I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. I’m not a Swiftie, but some of this was really good. Some of it was also very juvenile in the way that I find lots of Swift’s other songs and albums to be, but overall this has a much more mature sound. I definitely think this is more worthy of inclusion on this list than 1989. My favorite songs were, “willow,” “no body, no crime,” and “dorothea.” Not 5 star worthy, but still really good.

Slow build but great album

very chill, not her best work but still decent

Most songs are just OK; they don't have a memorable sound or a chorus to sing along to. I often found it challenging to follow the narrative because of the lack of repetition and the abundance of little details. I'm sure there are plenty of smart quips in the lyrics, but I couldn't properly appreciate them while casually listening to the album. There were a few tracks that were a bit more catchy. "No Body No Crime" stood out most because its rhythm is different from the rest of the album and due to the darker and more direct lyrics. But overall, everything still sounded like generic alternative/country/folk/pop/singer-songwriter stuff, though clearly more polished and modern than average. I don't know why this album was such a sensation during the lockdown - it does not really deal with any relevant themes; most of the songs are about relationships. Nor is it particularly novel in terms of sound. I guess Taylor Swift was just already popular then, and people were paying more attention to music releases in general.

Expected to hate it, never listened to a Swift song before (not that I could recognize, anyway). She makes the type of music I normally try to skip. But this was far better than I expected. I can see why she is so popular, because if I liked her genre, I'd be all over it. Best song was 'no body, no crime', its conclusion made me laugh

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

I love to defend Taylor and this is a *good* album with really solid songwriting, but I have a few thoughts. First of all, it's too long which is keeping it from being stronger in my opinion. There are a few filler songs that could've been cut. Also, it's hard and probably too early to say if this will stand the test of time and really stand out as one of her best albums. 1989 is inarguably an extremely tight and influential pop album from the past 10 years, but I'm not convinced that evermore is going to have that same status meaning I'm not sure it will stand up against a lot of other albums on this list. Yes, it's good and yes, there is a place for Taylor here, but not more than 3 stars for me.

Gear: Hifiman Arya Mische: Klingt zumindest teuer. Akustikgitarren interessant, Piano authentisch eingefangen, Bass sehr zahm, einlullende Multi-Layered Vocals Mugge: Softcore Folk-Pop. Nich meins. Also so gar nicht. Wertung: 1/5

I'm not a Swiftie but I can see the evolution of her music. its not the poppy stuff you usually get but more subdued and IMO more listenable.

This album and Folklore remind me of Born and Raised/Paradise Valley by John Mayer. Interesting detours with some of their most interesting work lyrically and musically. The title track is a great song

Evermore is one of Taylor's better projects, following up Folklore, which was also pretty good. I've not heard her newest, but she was on a bit of a streak in 2020. This style of folk music is a nice change of pace from her radio-pop hits I'm used to hearing day-to-day.

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’m a very big taylor fan and this is one of my favorite Taylor albums. It starts out a bit rickety with “willow” but then after that everything is a banger. The songwriting is at her peak abilities and the production suits her so well. Definitely one of her artistic triumphs.

I've never listened to a Taylor Swift album before and I'm getting the vibe that this particular album wouldn't be where one would want to start with her catalog but rather something one would want to listen to as a fan who wants to go deeper. And that's not a bad thing. Taylor Swift is a talent. She's tapped into something that resonates with the psyche of her fandom and I think she fully deserves and has earned everything that she has accomplished. This album isn't really aimed at me and not the type of music I seek out but I enjoyed it. Two standouts for me were No Body, No Crime and Marjorie, a touching homage to her grandmother. This album didn't make me a Swiftie but it earned my respect and opened me to a willingness to hear more of her work.

I was interested to listen because of the fans in the family. I admire her ability and thought the tracks were alright so a maybe generous 3*

The first time I'd knowingly listened to Taylor Swift (apart from that trouble song with the goat) and I must admit to being disappointed. Nice enough but like a John Lewis Christmas advert playlist.

Nooooope.

I loved this. It’s slightly bland for my tastes but the lyricism is amazing. Something delicate about a lot of the vocals.

You cannot love this it’s easy-going it’s innocent it’s all a story

legit yks parhaista levyistä ikinä niiku teukka knows whats up

Nope. Same reason as before

I was expecting something better than this. Great clean vocals but obviously targeted at ‘my-life-is-the-most-important-pipe-of-poop’ teenage girls distressing about the tiniest slight on a daily basis.

Initially thought maybe worth a 3, but then album kept dragging on. I appreciate the stripped back approach on this album, haunting in a chic way, but I can’t seem to get past the idea that a condensed album consisting of the best tracks from this album and the one prior would be a better overall record. She also needs to pump the brakes and let her music breathe a bit more in between albums, and maybe check out some other producers than Jack Antonoff, the same approach and vocal pattern on e v e r y track gets boring and cheesy after a while.

If I gave this anything less than five starts, my wife would divorce me on the spot. Also, nobody on the entire list of artists that we will encounter is as big as Taylor Swift right now, and probably nobody else on the planet currently is as famous or influential, so she gets 5 stars on her own merit regardless of my wife's influence.

I purposely listened to this album with my wife (who has listened to nothing but Taylor Swift for 12 straight months), and she sang every single word. I have to give it a five star, or I may be strangled in my sleep. (The album is seriously good, though.)

I am not a Swiftie on any level and this kind of music isn’t my style but this is a really good album full of meaningful, well-written and well-sung songs. Listens: 2 Fave Track: marjorie Rating: 5

this is quite pleasant. t swizzle knows how to make a folk pop album. very POP imo, but it's very well produced. (It's like a discount big thief though): 7.3/10 ALSO LIKE IM SO SURPRISED THERES LIKE A SOMEWHAT EXPERIMENTAL SONG ON THIS ALBUM LIKE WTF???? WHAT THE FUCK IS A SONG LIKE CLOSURE DOING HERE???? ITS REALLY GREAT, BUT STILL...

Had some bangers Favorite song: no body no crime

It wasn't that bad, I was enjoying a couple of the songs here and there, even though it really isn't my type of music.

Pior que gostei, é bobinho pop mas dá para ouvir na rádio

Um dos melhores da TayTay. Voz linda, letras, musicalidade. Ela arrasou demais nesse álbum. Faves: champagne problems e no body, no crime

This wasn't half bad. Kind of somewhere between pop and folk/country, but not in the same way as a lot of modern country music, and much less pop-y than what I expected from Taylor Swift. I wouldn't be mad about listening to this again.

Thought this was my first Taylor Swift, but apparently we already listened to a different album (1989). This is about the same for me. The album was a little overlong, but decent enough. 3/5

Really?

I'm not going to lie, I knew some songs from Taylor Swift but I never really spent much time listening to her albums. This is now my second of her albums, and this was so much better than Midnights. I like the folk pop style, and I think that works so much better for her song writing style. I'm glad she is willing to try different styles, but honestly more list this! Not that she needs advice, she is going to be okay. I'm never going to be a Swifty; I am always going to side with Olivia Rodrigo (if you know you know). To be honest, I can see she is a great songwriter, and a savvy business woman, but I don't think her songs are to my taste. Standouts: willow, tolerate it, no body, no crime, evermore

Started off well, the Willow song is familiar but I didn’t know that Tay Tay sang it. I enjoyed its tempo and thought maybe I’d enjoy the rest of the album if that was how the opening track was, but for me it went downhill. It all got a bit depressing for me after the first track and started to become a bit of a chore to listen to.

Well, that's the last 3 albums that I have been pleasantly surprised by. Only heard the first 5 tracks so far, but am reminded of Suzanne Vega, but with out the je ne sais quoi.

Much to my daughters disgust, I have always believed that Taylor Swift is an alien sent to this planet to infiltrate us and commit heinous crimes. I once let her play one of her albums on a car journey and she chose ‘Folklore’ the album before this. Having read up about this on Wiki, I now understand the similarity. I’m amazed to say that i actually like this album. So different from the horrible sickly sweet American High School princess diva pop shit I hated her for. Credit to her for evolving, and the fact that she has made 2 albums with such a folk vibe is showing she is more than I gave her credit for. There are some beautiful tracks on ‘Evermore’, my favourite being the title track at the end of the album. Ms Swift can really sing, some of these songs showcase that, and the harmonies with Bon Iver are just stunning. The album is a bit samey, however, the one track that is different is the one I like the least! (No body no crime). That’s a bit too corny Country and Western Yee Haw nonsense for my liking. I would listen to this album again. Maybe as Ms Swift gets older she’ll start to sing about things more relevant to me (like getting old and grumpy) and I’ll like her more. Was I wrong about her or is her evil now evolving to brainwash a wider audience now that she controls the minds of every young girl under 25. Am I doomed? Crikey. A strong 3, maybe a 4.

Never listened to Swifty before, I was aware of the 'I hate you so much and we aren't ever getting back together song' and the 'shakey song' , but that was about it. However I'll give an artist I've steadfastly tried to avoid a listen as it's on here. I see the words 'Indie', 'alternative' and 'experimental' mentioned for this album, the latter two words intrigued me, as I thought she was just some cowgirl with boyfriend issues. I was annoyed with the first word, I'm aware she is a stupid-multi platinum selling artist which makes a mockery of the word in my opinion, but that aside, and definitely no bias at all, I'd give it a listen. Liked the first track 'Willow', a nice vibe and seemed like the cowgirl had been locked in rehab or something. Definitely the highlight and I had high hopes of enjoying this. The rest was pleasant enough, although a bit wordy (I didn't give a shit about what she was singing about - probably a few more blokes who didn't come up to scratch). 'Experimental'? Probably for her I guess, as I didn't get too much of a smell of sweaty chaps while listening to it, so a bit of a departure from her country and mainstream pop roots (I take that back as the smell came through loud and strong on track 11). 'Alternative'? Maybe, compared to listening to a whole album of Haim I suppose. Pleasant enough, but plain and ordinary and no bile. 3/4 through it and just wished to pace would change... A mid 2.

I understand the allure, good story telling & plenty to cry along to. I liked no body no crime bc who doesn't enjoy a good murder mystery song

Actually quite calm and to my liking. 1st Swift album too

I appreciate the production and I love the sound of her voice on this record. The songs are nice enough, though I don't think I will be coming back to this one because of the strong disconnect I feel with the lyrical themes.

Good

Minder slecht dan ik had verwacht.

Niet luisteren als je gaat rijden, oerend saai. En na 3 nummers over verbroken relaties heb je er schoon genoeg van.

Generic pop.

Quite some catchy melodies, but overall I got bored halfway through the album. The intensity doesn't change a lot between songs, making it a mediocre listening experience as an album. Still, the individual songs are quite good, so 3 stars.

No me pasa nada con Taylor. Nada de nada.

As far as Taylor aswifr albums go, this wasn't that bad. It's definitely a departure from her previous country and pop albums. This is more singer songwriter folk oriented. Guest appearances from the National and Bon Iver were surprising. I'm not sure why this is on the list though, it's 3 years old at the point I'm listening to it, there hasn't been any time to see its impact on music as a whole, it wasn't ground breaking in any way. Overall it was a solid album, nothing particularly stood out though.

i do like a good hook and a pop sensibility, but I like more earthy or stripped down sounds. For a Taylor Swift Album this consistently hits my preferences. Well produced, catchy melodies, but it's uniqueness seems to come from a relatively simple, uncomplicated approach compared to the more blatantly sugarpop type sound I am familiar with Taylor. It's still got that signature and doesn't break ground, but it's in a sound that is more appealing to me. willow, 'tis the damn season, coney island are good songs. Enough decent stuff that I would come back to listen to this album more.

I just don't get the appeal of Taylor Swift.

This is going to be the first album that I question to credibility of making it on this list but I decided to give this another chance. I've previously heard this when it first released but I never made the effort to return to it, especially when folkore (the album's predessesor that came out months earlier) is the superior listen. After relistening to it as a whole, I can firmly say that I still feel the exact same. However, I can admit that it was a solid followup to folklore. It provided the necessary contrast of melancholic feelings and emotions that wasn't delved into. Taylor hops and in and out of complex stories of love, loss, and further experiences of life. One thing that can never be taken away from her is her ability to write. Given the period this was released, this was a pleasant pivot from her previous work. There seemed to be more emphasis placed on how well she executed this world within the music. This album and its "sister album" really made me take her more seriously as an artist and understand that Taylor was more than the headlines that follow her. 4 out of 5 stars.

Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Liked it more than I expected to.

I like Taylor Swift taking a more folky direction. Long Story Short was my favourite. The drums kick it up a notch, breaking away from the mood of the songs before. Closure felt a bit disjointed though.

This was the first time that I've listened to more than a soundbite of Taylor Swift (other than Shake it off) - and found it enjoyable. Reminded me of Bat for Lashes with the vocal range and somber tone of most songs on the album.

Surprisingly good. Great rainy day album.

Taylor swift has controlled pop music since about 2008. This album shows that she isn’t just a pop artist but knows how to make popular music. Throughout the years she has maintained relevance with the style that is en vogue. This album is no different. With the help of some indie artists swift uses a more mature style similar to that of the members of boy genius. But Taylor does it in a more positive upbeat way. Again showing that Taylor swift is the best at what she does. There’s no denying that it this album is still a pop album of romance that misses for me on some songs. The songs with bon iver and the national are cool. Some other songs are catchy and enjoyable as well. This album is good but isn’t worth four stars because I feel she made it intentionally less interesting. 7.3/10

herbstige swift vibes

Eh. It's Taylor Swift

very competent, but uninspiring. Dragged on a bit.

It's an okay album, i've never heard her music so dont know the lore behind

Forgettable

Biy samey to be honest, but I never thought of myself as a Swifty.

So yeah, Taylor Swift. I hadn't considered that this list would have Taylor Swift albums on it, but I guess it makes sense. Taylor Swift is interesting to me because she is so culturally ubiquitous that rivals maybe only Michael Jackson in my lifetime, yet I really don't have any idea what her music sounds like. I am familiar with the song "Shake It Off" only because Screaming Females did a ripping cover of it that I really like. Anyway, I guess this was a surprise Covid release and from what I read embraces much more cozy/acoustic lived in moods than some of her other poppier/dancier stuff. I am here to say that it's fine... I guess. Clearly it's well produced and it's catchy and it has a nice list of featured guests, but it is just so flat and uninteresting to me. I guess I can say now that I know what she sounds like, and I'm assuming there will likely be at least another one of her albums on this list. I don't have high expectations.

As an avowed straight man (TM), I saved this album for the one time where Taylor was less painful than listening to nothing at all. Which is to say I listened to it while taking the arduous train ride from the Upper West Side to Brooklyn. My difficulty with Taylor comes from the fact that she's seemingly girlboss chameleon'd her way to superstardom. I would laud her versitility if it wasn't soley in service of making more milquetoast pop-generic music. Ultimately, I think my dislike of her is multi-faceted - I don't resonate with her musical themes, I really dislike pop and I hate the impact that "Big Music" has had on homogenizing and shrinking music into bite sound blips. So this isn't a fair review. Musically, the album is great - it's produced with the best of the best, and the collabs should be pure crack for me (HAIM, The National, and Bon Iver on an album - holy fucking shit!). If I am honest, the album nearly lulled me into it. no body, no crime is killer (see my previous comments about songs that tell a story), ivy, marjorie, and dorothea were great tracks, with a special note for dorothea actually transporting me out of the 7 train. However, cowboy like me was a massive thorn in my side - like you? Like the person who dumped their accent between two albums because it was most convenient to selling songs? The person who released folklore and evermore because she got criticized for not being country enough? The person who's currently going on tours so massive that it actually drives inflation in Iceland? That doesn't seem very country to me. Maybe this album is a last grasp at what she has sacrificed on the altar of double platinum rated albums? Because "cowboy like me" felt like such a tone def song that I don't know if she believes it.

Soft girly guitar pop. Solid but boring.

I really enjoyed this album, famously recorded along with folklore during COVID in a cabin in 2020. I think this sort of signified a renaissance for Swift and when I personally started taking her more serious as an artist.

https://youtube.com/shorts/twI5BZgvges?si=hD2boFdb5DmlYX5S

So, I'm not a huge fan of Taylor Swift but am exposed to her and music by my lady. Okay. Exposed might be an understatement.... there are shirts and mugs and jewelry and more, strewn around my place. Also.... I own this album from a special edition release, as well as Folklore on vinyl. Regardless, this album was "randomly" delt at the same time as when Taylor Swift seems to be at the highest point of popularity in her entire career with her coming off of world stadium tour, huge movie thing, and news that she is dating Travis Kelce, of the current Superbowl Champions - the Kansas City Chiefs. I ended up listening to most evermore today just to remind myself which album this actually is. I really do get it mixed up with Folklore. I have to say Folklore is a much better album, although there are a couple of songs on evermore that I actually like, with the title track, evermore, being the best song on the album imo.

This was really good. I enjoy Taylor Swifts music. Love the bin over song a lot. This is not her best album.

If I'd just been through a break-up or I was a teenage girl (or preferably both I'm guessing) then I would have been all over this. But I'm neither of those and so I sit squarely outside of Swifty's demographic and also struggle to connect.

Not my genre but might become a swifty one day!

Ok, so this is low key Swift. Waited until now to see what the fuss was about. Didn't enjoy much besides the big track on 1989. Midnights was ok but I haven't been back tbh. First track drifted by anonymously. There's some lovely melody in champagne and gold rush, towards the end of each song. There's kind of just enough here for me to stay interested and not dismiss it as bland pop. If I gave it repeat listens I may even grow to really like some of it, but I'm probably not going to do that. It's also too long, and I did get bored around the National track. Spotify now wants me to listen to "Sad Girl Autumn" songs, which kind of says it all.

My partner heard the first song come on and asked "is this an ad?". The music is generic to the point of forgetfulness. Champagne Problems seems like it's full of references I don't get. This music is just so predictable. It's distracting how generic this sounds. One of the main issues here is that I'm not the target audience. Since I don't like the music, there's no lyrics to grab onto. It's just frustrating.

I really enjoyed the voice of Matt Berninger on the Coney Island song. This guy has one of the most distinctive singing voices around and I was very happy to be introduced to The National because of this list. Since that time, I have quite a bit music downloaded from his group and frequently listen to a lot of their music. This was one my "new" bands from 2022. Good stuff. As for Taylor Swift, I find her music pretty annoying and just plain unbearable. I tried listening Friday, but had to quit to get into a good mood for the weekend. Probably wasn't the best idea to listen on a Monday morning either. Pretty brutal. I will give her credit in the fact she got shit load of parent's to pay way too much money to send their kids to see her in concert. As for a score, I'd put a step up from that Nazi band and Suicide, but not much. 1 for Matt and .5 for not throwing my phone out the window. 1.5 1.5

Man, T. Swift really solidified herself with this one. Prior to Folklore I really only viewed Taylor Swift as a decent enough Pop star but not much more. Enter Folklore and her reputation changed entirely. Pretentious dicks like me thought 'Yeah this was good but it's probably a one off deal" and then BOOM enter Evermore and she proved the h8ers wrong. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm a swiftie but my appreciation and respect for her as a musician and artist changed exponentially after that. I think I like Evermore just a touch more than Folklore - not sure why that is. A really great album that I think will stand the test of time (alongside Folklore) 4

3 I didn’t really know what to think coming into this one. I have nothing against Taylor Swift, but I don’t claim to be a Swiftie, and I definitely wouldn’t say I have any intentions of becoming one. My friend Sarah is a diehard fan though, especially with Taylor’s newer stuff like this, so I really tried going into this with an open mind so I could at least walk away with an informed opinion on the album. Initial thoughts - this is a far cry away from her t-shirt, sneakers, and bleachers days. I can’t deny its place as a pop album, but there’s a lot more folk influence on this record than I would have anticipated. I like a good amount of folk stuff myself, so I was hoping the sound of this record would be a good starting point for me with her discography, but after an initial listen, I found myself pretty whelmed - there’s not a ton of variation going on in the music or songwriting, and as a result this album felt overly long. Still, I didn’t want to write it off yet - I mean, there must be a reason she’s considered one of the greatest songwriters of the modern era, right? So, I went back in again and gave another listen, this time really trying to dial in on the lyrics and songwriting. While it didn’t drastically change my opinion, I would encourage anyone else on the fence to do the same, as I think it helps enhance your experience in highlighting the charm of Taylor’s songwriting. She’s able to articulate relationships incredibly well in her music, with lyrics like “There'll be happiness after you/But there was happiness because of you/Both of these things can be true” on Happiness or “Never be so kind/You forget to be clever/Never be so clever/You forget to be kind” on Marjorie being two lyrics that stood out to me on my subsequent listen, and Tolerate It? Woof - walked away from that one as a broken man. My personal favorite tracks here though would probably be No Body, No Crime (the older country style was great) and Coney Island (shoutout to my boys The National - Matt sounded great with Taylor here), though I also got a bit of enjoyment out of Closure just for the simple fact it sounded like Taylor was doing her thing over a Nine Inch Nails song. I’m not walking away from this album stunned or as a newfound Swiftie, but I am walking away with a bit more respect for Taylor as an artist and her adoring fans around the world, so I would argue it definitely succeeded with me in some regards. It’s not my thing, but I can appreciate what it’s doing.

Folk Taylor is a lot more interesting than pop Taylor

Okay well, I hope no one finds out I've got this playing. That's grounds to get your ass kicked! I'll give it a go. Okay first of all why not capitalize any words! That's just stupid. I do like the album cover. It reminds me of Corvallis. I can smell the autumn in that picture. Takes me back to simpler times. Okay it's not terrible. I actually like the second track Champagne Problems.

oh! might be easier to listen. Solid.

i just so happen to have been listening to taylor swift's discography for the first time, so i feel like I'm in a uniquely good position to speak on this album. as the wizened geniuses in the top reviews so bravely point out, taylor swift is a pop musician. hopefully by the time they finish this list they'll have slightly more open minds and maybe have lightened up like 10%. so of course while I'd love to disagree with them, this just isn't that good even as a taylor swift album. coming off the heels of lover and folklore, her two best albums up to this point, this is a huge downgrade. pretty bland, and mostly just feels like a poor imitation of folklore, but more national-y, which to me is not a good thing. it's too scientifically engineered by pop scientists to ever slip into bad, and it has its moments, but it's pretty much the definition of average, and thus, it gets a big ol' 3

aijjaha... niin moderni megapoppitytteli, pienellä kaikkien biisien alkukirjaimet (pretentious), hiljaa kuiskuten lauleskelee (huono laulaja) meikän pakko vihata? vai niinkö luulet? pakko niin iso mies iso mies ei tälläsiä kuuntele vai mitä siellä mietitään taas???? olet oikeassa, vihaan tätä. protestikakkonen koska tälläisiä albumeja niin vähän vs post punk indie vittu paska ä albumeja champagne problems

I respect her as an artist, but a lot of her lyrics were a bit juvenile to me. I love the overall sound of the album tho.

I'm not a Swiftie, per se. But I do like certain Swifts a lot. And this is very good. It feels like it's millimeters away from something that doesn't break through, but it still breaks through. I don't really even like anything else that sounds like this. But I mean, 10 billion Swift fans can't be wrong, right?

A hard one to assess as I really don't think this is the stuff for me. Musically, it's unexciting. Swift is obviously a decent singer, and can weave a story. The songwriting is, by turns, kicky and cringeworthy. Perhaps it's a zeitgeist thing, but this rather claustrophobic, personal, confessional style leaves me cold; a kind of artfully delineated stream of consciousness. Production for a modern album is competent enough in the sense that it doesn't make my ears bleed. Really, though, this is the biggest performing artist of the day? I said at the top that this ain't for me, but guess what? I still get to rate it. Two stara.

I’ve heard so much current pop music the past two years and there’s so many others things in that space that I would rather listen to than Taylor Swift. And, of course, this isn’t even really a pop record is it? But everything she touches gets treated as such and I’m not sure why that is other than for reasons having to do with celebrity. It feels like the songwriting matured, but the lyrics did not. That “no body, no crime” song? Yikes. And I kinda felt bad for the dude from The National on that one song, and I don’t even like The National. There’s the opportunity to do something interesting there, but the lyrics let me down. Honestly, this should just be a country record. To her credit, I will say I think that “antihero” song is a step in the right direction. It feels like a blend of pop and folk that works better for me than it does on anything here.

damn bruh hoooly i see why the swifties so fucking insane

Fuck no, not sitting through another Taylor Swift album. Nevermore...

As an old man, I tend to avoid the young fresh female artists because it just seems wrong. Taylor Swift at this writing is safely in her mud-30s, so I no longer have the reluctance to listen to deeper cuts. Absolutely loved this album. Presentation seems heartfelt and pure. Type of album that will lead me to listen to more TS. Golly, if so many young artists could be confident enough to do an album like this!

Not my cuppa tea

4*

Too soon?

Meh

Like a cup of coffee on gray afternoon in January. I wouldn't call myself a Swiftie; I think that 1989 is a pop masterpiece, but the other Taylor Swift albums I've listened to range from "good" to "eh, not my thing." For me, Evermore established a notch above "good" for Taylor's non-1989 albums. I loved that this album relied heavily on various stringed instruments and the piano; it really helped create a sound that I think Taylor Swift excels at. The minimal percussion worked well for me as well, which I was surprised by, because I normally don't enjoy minimal percussion (I'm looking at you, Either/Or). As far as low points go, "no body, no crime" really stuck out like a sore thumb to me. I love Haim, but this song's sound and vibe felt really out of place. I liked the other duets though (I'm big fan of The National). A few other tracks, like "dorothea" and "marjorie" weren't that great, but in general, I thought this album was great, and it makes me want to listen to Folklore. Favorite track: "champagne problems"

A little bit of a nothing album IN MY OPINION! but def makes me want to listen to more Taylor No specific favorite tracks to be real and raw

A perfect expression of pop with great songs and great lyrics. Much better than some other pretenders (Adele). I’ve no idea whether it stands up long term or how it fits in her catalogue but I enjoyed it.

Team Tay Tay

Nothing thrilling, but didn't hate it

Some nice songs but some silly ones too

it's a nice one, i think between this and folklore you've got one really strong album, but i do like it

I don't want to be prejudiced and say this is for teenage girls but I think this is an album for teenage girls which is fine but I'm not one

some good songs but needs editing

Aw man, you're gonna make me listen to swift? Alright, I'll give her a shot. Wow. Effortlessly classic. Such solid instrumentation and theming. Really nice structure. I wish I liked her voice more, but that's on me, there is nothing wrong with it. Might listen again

Such a great album. Every song is great and is written like poetry.

I made an honest effort, but I dont know about this. 1/5

I liked it better than I thought. Songs were more mature than I expected... not sure why.

Eh

Reading some of the reviews, it seems obvious to me that many people are rating Taylor Swift’s public persona, or her history as a pop star. I generally don’t listen to top 40 pop either, but there’s no way this album is a 1. At its worst it’s a boring album; at its best it’s comforting. It’s not even overly stylized or purposefully inaccessible to turn people off it. An album by the biggest pop star of her era deserves to be on this list.

Now, I am not a Taylor Swift fan nor am I one of her haters. I like Red. That’s pretty much the only thing that I truly like by her but it is a good album. Everything else, in all honesty, is mid. At least in my opinion. Now, considering how recent the album is, I didn’t expect to get this album here and I still kind of don’t, at least in comparison to some of the actual folk albums I have gotten here. First things first, Evermore is a folk pop album. For what it is it’s pretty good. I feel the pop side can take over and at that point the magic is kind of lost, but it’s still fine. My favorite track of this strict pop style might be Closure, which has a distorted beat that’s actually kind of good. I guess for highlights, I would say Closure, Champagne Problems (a somber piano ballad about a broken relationship that’s actually kind of good and might be the best piano ballad of the bunch), Tis the Damn Season (a soft rock song that may not be the best representation of this album but enjoyable nonetheless), and Tolerate It (another piano ballad that is also enjoyable). Surprisingly, the folk aspect of this album wasn’t brought up too much in this recommendation list. The reason is the lyrics. While some of the lyrics are good (mainly the ones I mentioned earlier), sometimes the lyrics feel too petty or too woeful or just kind of turn offish in my opinion and I just don’t like it. Eh. This was a fine album, certainly different for Taylor Swift but I can only really give it a 6/10 with all of its problems in mind.

Listened Before? N Pretty good. She's recently a very prolific album releaser. This one sounds more like modern t-sweezy, and I enjoyed it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Willow

A cottagecore T.Swift album about closure? Swift almost feels like the second coming of the Beatles, or Michael Jackson. Or maybe the female Meatloaf? Totally in control of the pop stylings of a generation. I personnally have this predisposition to be pretty critical of her more intimate, sadder songs. Like Jesus Taylor, you are a bajillionaire and your daddy is a rich asshole. What the hell gives you the right to comment on normal people issues? But that's me being classist. 'tis the damn season tapdances with being too cloying. no body no crime is the same thing, though in the styling of an old gun fighter revenge ballad, which i guess i can get behind. happiness is a good song. I actually like her lyrics on ivy. But on other tracks the pithiness of her lyrics are so cringe inducing, see long story short. Making a song that is constant cliches is just not my thing. Ultimately, there are some good tunes on here but I had to work to get through this thing.

I'm a bit surprised at the inclusion of this album. I am a huge Swiftie so naturally I like the album, but it does feel a little early since I think folkmore is the better of two albums. I love indie folk Taylor so I can't complain, but this feels a little early to add. Nonetheless, a great album from her and was once again a big surprise. She's moved in a direction that since Lover.

Not the best Swift album. Still liked it.

Who?

Somewhere between 2 and 3, but I forgot what yesterday's album even was for a few minutes which seems about right.

A slog of cozy songs written by committee. A perfect soundtrack for trying to sneak in and take a nap at your local Restoration Hardware.

I've never been what you would call a Taylor Swift fan, but I've never been a hater either. I'm glad I got to listen to this. The songs are mellow and nuanced, and I like songs that tell a story. It could maybe use a little more variety in terms of tempo, but overall I liked it. Reminds me a little of Suzanne Vega. I actually dislike Suzanne Vega - she's too cutesy-fartsy for me - but this is like a better version of her. 3 stars.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise! Love the literary references (Rebecca is my favorite book and Gatsby is probably top 3) and the overall cozy atmosphere. Will definitely have to check out folklore now.

I do not like Taylor Swift very much. I am also perfectly willing to concede that this is a pretty decent album. Well-spun story songs, polished production, downbeat sound. It’s a pleasant listen that achieves the wintry acoustic vibe it’s going for. I also have to admit that despite the folksy window dressing, Taylor Swift is still 100% Taylor Swift, and so the album is only going to go so high for me. I don’t really like her singing voice, and as much praise as her lyrics get, I feel sometimes they're clunky and overwritten in the name of being “heartfelt.” Also, as tired and unfair as it is to scrutinize Taylor’s personal relationships… wow so many Taylor Swift songs are breakup songs. Like SO many. I just wonder if she gets tired of writing them. She has to, right? Best song: willow or no body no crime

-okay so i have this album on vinyl and really like it -BUT! its not her best -i personally think folklore is better -but i really like cowboy like me, gold rush, and right where you left me, coney island -i have to give this album four stars and i’ll explain why - marjorie and right where you left me are two of my favorite songs ever period -if folklore showed up on this list it would get four stars also but again. marjorie and right where you left me are the ONLY reason this album gets four stars

I love the cadence in this album. The brilliant song writing and subtle renditions allowed me to discover Taylor Swift. I'm now a fan and wonder why it took so long.

This has always been the lesser of Taylor's lockdown albums for me - there are a few great tunes but mostly it breezes over you more than astounds you like the tracks on Folklore. Still great though.

cool

Really good by Swift. Standouts: Willow, Champagne Problems, Tis the Damn Season, No Body No Crime, Dorothea, Coney Island, Long Story Short, Marjorie, Tolerate It, Evermore. 3.5/5

I was surprised by this, the front half especially had some rich tracks that I enjoyed. I felt as the album went on it became quite repetitive, not just in lyrical content but even in vocal melody, it felt like that classic Tay Tay melody was in every song. First half album probs a 3.5 for me, second half a weak 2.5, rounding it to a nice 3/5

Some pretty affecting moments of melodrama here, though I found the overall experience a little repetitive. It felt like the kind of album that could have used more of a journey - perhaps a resequencing would help, as it felt like we continually lapsed back into the same subjects covered a couple of songs earlier without much expansion. It's obviously very cleanly produced too, maybe not my preference for a folk album, but when the poppier production elements come in there is some pretty rich tracks. Not mad about it, but a bit over-long and samey to excite. Two and a half. Fave track: Closure

The folklore/evermore era of Taylor's catalogue is, to no surprise, handily my favourite. Her more stripped back songwriting allows for her simple short stories to shine. You can hear the influence and collaboration of the Haim sisters all over this album (not just from the track they actually feature on), and that's always a win for me. Missing some of the next level highlights from folklore that I think are some of her best tracks, and I'll be bummed if that album is omitted from this list in favour of evermore, but this is still a fairly solid record. Three and a half. Fave track: ivy

Good album, surprised such a recent one was on the list

I was never a fan of folk, even if it's made by Taylor Swift. So when she released "folklore" and "evermore", I didn't hopped into the hype that much. I do appreciate the songwriting and the cozy 2020-era quarantine vibes. But there are more enjoyable and quarantine-friendly albums out there. I even prefer "folklore" itself over this. But I guess this is picked because this is where she got comfortable with the genre after exploring it in "folklore", in pretty much the same way with "Red" and "1989" with pop. Overall, I can see the hype, but it's not for me.

A good example of a well produced stripped back album but it's not all for me, too monotonous overall and doesn't have enough elevating moments in songs. Strong from from no body, no crime through to ivy though.

I like this as an album probably more than the previous Swift album we had, but it lacks the standout hit tracks that she had in that one. It's definitely more sophisticated (musically and lyrically), but she's sacrificed a lot of the energy that she had in the old music. And it drags. 3/5.

I like Taylor Swift in general, but it's funny to me that all she had to do to get the best reviews of her career was to make the arrangements sound appropriately indie enough to satisfy the tastemakers. Music criticism is a sham.

Best Song: coney island. I think the addition of The National really elevates this one, providing a really deep, sonorous contrast to Swift's voice. Worst Song: marjorie. Sometimes you can really feel - in a negative way - the effort behind Taylor Swift lyrics. This is one of those tracks, where it feels like an over-emphasized attempt to be deep and meaningful results in some pedestrian, kind of try-hard-sounding poetry. Overall: Taylor Swift is kind of unavoidable, so I had heard a number of these tracks (it also feels like she stays within a particular niche, so I might have heard different tracks that sound like these tracks). She does have a very pleasant and personal songwriting style, but it just gets a little boring over a while. Not my style of slow, mild music, but I get why it's popular.

Nice album, but not my cup of tea.

Genres: Alternative rock, chamber rock, folk-pop, indie folk Formed: 2004 Run time: 15 songs, 1 hour The tracks "Willow" (over 500M plays), "No Body, No Crime" (almost 188M plays), and "Coney Island" (over 122M plays) were released as singles. The least played track on the album has over 83M plays on Spotify, everything else has over 200M plays. I can’t imagine Taylor Swift singing about murder, but that’s what "No Body, No Crime" is about. It’s a gripping story: Este's husband cheats on her. He then kills her and moves the mistress in. Este’s friend then kills him. The mistress knows it's the friend but can’t prove it. The police think it’s the mistress because she’s taken out a large life insurance policy, but they can’t prove it. Musically, the songs are great and they are well written and produced. Taylor Swift has broadened her genres since her early country beginning. It’s not my taste, but she is very good at what she does. I can see her career lasting for many decades to come (like Madonna and Kylie). My Rating: ****

This album is good but not as good as its more famous predecessor 'folklore'. This pair of albums is generally much better than anything from her pop diva phase and having built up a lot of goodwill with fans, she was able to make this transition and have it be a massive moment. She's good at this light commercial folk pop sound and it clearly challenges her to focus more on the actual songwriting. Mirrorball is an excellent cut lyrically and the acoustic Betty is a mature masterfully composed retrospective on 2006 "Teardrops on My Guitar" Taylor Swift. But if you want me to be brutally honest, as glad as I am that this is the Taylor Swift our democratic society has decided to hear, I think I would much rather listen to Bon River's "For Emma Forever Ago". 8/10

Not bad. Not great.

Most TSwift music feels a bit overly polished to me, and this isn't an exception. It is generally still really good though, and this is much more folk-y than most of her other music. Collabs with HAIM, The National, and Bon Iver all make it much stronger than it otherwise might be. Strong influences from The National and Jack Antonoff come through throughout. Favorite song: champagne problems Honorable mentions: 'tis the damn season; no body, no crime, coney island, closure

I’ve been waiting for this one! Listened to it all yesterday already lol.

Fine but way too safe and hardly her most interest album

So yes this is Taylor Swift but I’ve never listened to one of her albums so that won’t persuade my review despite the onslaught of Swifties I may face. With that being said I thought this album was decent, there wasn’t anything in particular that stood out well for me, however I did like the pacing of the album it felt quiet even so even with the hour long run time it didn’t seem as long and there were a nice collection of songs I liked, particularly on the backend of the record. I do have to say the weaker parts stood out at the front and in the middle, such as the opening track, it didn’t feel like it should’ve opened the album it wasn’t really any different from a track in the middle, unlike the closing track. Also I’m not sure bout particular songs pacing such as ‘gold rush’ that carries this pacing beat throughout with an anti-climax at the end. I do prefer some of the slower songs though such as ‘happiness’ and the closer ‘evermore’ with a great contribution from Bon Iver. Overall, this wasn’t bad by any means but not exactly something I would consider chart topping worthy, I do hope some of her other albums, particularly folklore, are on here as I’ve heard great stuff from them.

I like Folklore a lot more, but this one is ok.

Willow I think it my favorite track of the bunch! Enjoyable listen but a bit too slow for my usual taste.

Modern pop isn’t my thing, but this was decent for the style of music

7/10

Never have been a “Swiftie”, and although this album has some skippers, I enjoyed some of the songs. I admit this sounds like a generic indie-folk record. Standouts: champagne problems, gold rush, tolerate it, closure, and evermore.

if beige was an album.

Just sounded like average folk music; wouldn't listen to it again but it wasn't absolutely awful

Yndisleg plata, eitt það besta sem hefur komið út á undanförnum árum.

For some reason I has missed this. The first Taylor Swift album I've liked. 5

Я слушал этот альбом, когда опека увозила меня из дома. Уже раз 15 переслушал.

Simple pop album. Nothing great about it.

This can't quite deliver the complete shock of Folklore, an utter sidestep from Swift. But it's an excellent collection of tunes, only disturbed by the somewhat disturbing eruption of Matt Beringer's dad vocals. Bon Iver is a much better fit though the National again are the indiefolk magic sprinkled throughout.

Ich habe glaube ich noch nie irgendwas von ihr bewusst gehört und kenne nur die popkulturellen Lästereien über sie, weswegen ich mit Stirnrunzeln reagiert habe, als dieses Album aufploppte. Was soll ich sagen: ich finde es gar nicht so schlecht und habe sogar die Bonustracks der Deluxe-Version gehört. Gelungenes, aber nicht riesengroßes Album.

It’s pretty good. I prefer 2020s Taylor Swift to 2010s Taylor Swift, and the reason is the vastly better songwriting on songs like ‘champagne problems’. Not every song is great, but a good listen.

Barf.

Parfait merci Robert c'est bon tu peux arrêter avec Taylor Swift maintenant on a compris.

J'ai demandé à ChatGPT de me générer une liste de titres américains de country clichés, voici ce que ce dernier m'a proposé: "Riding Down to Tennessee" "Cowboy on the Open Range" "Whiskey Nights in Nashville" "Wild Horses of the Far West" "Honky Tonk Heartache" "Lost in the Dusty Trails" "Backroads of Texas" "Broken Boots and Broken Hearts" "Jukebox Blues and Barstool Dreams" "My Dog, My Truck, and My Best Friend" Merci à ChatGPT de nous prouver que les américains sont des abrutis.

Nevermore will I listen.

Depressed and self involved on a loop for evermore.

taytay go yawnyawn

Its a little inoffensive and boring but its fine. Dont think i'll listen to it again.

Bit of a chore, one song blended into the other.

Mooie zwijmel-liedjes

🤷 It's the Fleet Foxes issue again where it's *too* smooth? It's fine I guess.

Sounds quite good actually

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.

A raging hangover in the form of what some people perceive to be music. I can't stand Taylor Swift. She's looks like a beaver trying to stifle a sneeze and she makes the worst eggs in the morning. Absolutely the worst shag I've ever had. She just lay there, lifeless. Needed to put a bit of minge around it.

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

I don't get the hype

I wanted to like it more than I did.

Why?

Much better than expected

meh, better than i thought as I had never listened to her. But don't get all the hype

There are 15 songs on this album but all of them sound the same, I can't remember any of them even if I have just finished listening the whole album. It's a bland record without any originality of songwriting, very simple music, bad lyrics, and overproduction. Her voice is okay, not bad, but that is way too little to save this album. And one thing I don't understand is that why this album is on the 1001 albums list - it is the second Taylor Swift album on my list even though I still haven't listened to 80 albums overall. I'm sure there are hundreds of other albums that could have made the list but it won't. I haven't given out a 1 out of 5 on any albums yet even if there were 3-4 albums that were really bad and I regretted not to give a 1 on some of them, but I'm giving this a 1. It just doesn't deserve more than that.

In the first summer of the pandemic, Taylor Swift released Folklore. It was an album that no one was expecting, and seemingly a new direction for Swift. After a string of electropop albums that defined her since 2014, Folklore took a softer approach to songwriting and went, well, folk pop. It was a nice departure for Swift and showed that she could flex her songwriting skills in other styles. In the first December of the pandemic, Taylor Swift released Evermore. It was an album that no one was expecting, and seemingly a sister album to Folklore. Continuing her folksy songwriting, Swift brings a cooler tone to Evermore. More than anything, Evermore is the clearing out of cluttered thoughts. Putting down as much as possible and releasing it as a sort of offloading of folk songs. I say this because at 15 tracks and an hour long, it feels like we're committed to a lot. While not a double album, it's as though Swift has built up a lot of songs over the initial pandemic isolation, hence the sister album so soon after Folklore. I'll resist comparing the two and simply say that Evermore feels like a perfectly fine step in Swift's catalogue. She would go on to have more defining albums, though this certainly feels like a product of 2020. Most of Evermore floats along at the same quality, with nothing sticking out as being great, save for the guest features which make things a bit more interesting.

Folk-pop. Muy buena voz. Ni fu ni fa.

Literally couldn't tell the difference between songs. Pop trash.

Not what I was expecting, but very pleasant listen

YESSS I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT FIVE OUT OF FIVE SHE IS MY MOTHER. evermore is a beautiful album written so well. it is a musical master piece and taylor is the music industry

Ok I guess, if you like that sort of thing. I don’t.

I don't feel equipped to deal with the Folklore accessory without cliché. It's all gossamer, well-produced. Felt nothing in particular about getting through the deluxe release.

good pop

Production is so basic, she is great artist but she has to work with good producers

тоже нет

Usually I can find at least one song to like on every Taylor Swift album - some I even love. She's a great songwriter and lyricist. That said. This was boring to the point I thought my brain would slosh out through my ears. Picked up a little on no body no crime, dorothea but couldn't make up for the fact I had to skip most of the other tracks

Ég fell ekki í neina stafi, en þetta er notaleg plata sem ég renndi tvisvar og gæti alveg rennt aftur.

Bello, con una storia da seguire, ma senza canzoni particolari.

Not my thing, but her voice sounds great

Snowy Sunday morning vibes

This album doesn’t deserve 5 stars but I’m just so in the pocket for Taylor Swift I can’t help it. PLUS she’s a lil cutie

I was surprised. Thought she had a different style. Liked it.

Shitebag

This album sounds like a pop star becoming an angsty teenager. Some good songs, some a bit whiny

It was okay. Not a big T Swift fan anymore. Not my style of music.

good songs, pretty mellow. Not really the kind of music I was in the mood for today

An album of slow sad ballads, during a time when she's in a slow sad mood due to all her burgeoning legal disputes with the bloke who just purchased her original back catalogue and resulting in her rerecording all her Big Machine albums to create new masters she controlled. So at least studio engineers had steady work for a few months.

Didn't hate it but very forgettable and no desire to hear it again.

Unremarkable and instantly forgettable. It made so little impact that if I listened to it again, I don't think I'd recognise a single track. It's not that it's offensive, it's just so bland that I'm not even certain I heard it. It was like eating a lettuce for dinner. You don't recoil at every bite but you do wonder why you're not eating something with a bit more flavour, variety or both.

Uninspiring, not her best

What the heck is going on? This is not on the list. There's only one Taylor Swift album on the list, "1989." What got removed off the list so this could be put on? I call shenanigans. Is the list static, or is it fluid? Do we _REALLY_ need two Taylor Swift albums on there? I mean, Limp Bizkit is on here for f**k's sake, and not even the album everyone would know. OK, on to the album itself... I mean, the album itself is not bad. Decent alternative country stuff. Lyrically, it's pretty strong. There's still the autotune of her voice. But that's on every female singer now, so they all pretty much sound the same. But again, what makes this album so special? Special enough to knock something else off?

I didn't realize that Taylor Swift collaborated so much (with a couple key people) on her songwriting and plays so little on her recent albums like this one. A bit disappointing but she still writes all the lyrics, which are always thoughtful and are at worst cheeky but at best profound. And her collaborators composed some solid soft songs. Some of it sounds too poppy or pandering to the masses (Gold Rush) or has too much drum track/fakeness (Tolerate It), or both (Long Story Short), but I really enjoyed Willow, Champagne Problems, Tis the Damn Season and its companion Dorothea, Ivy, and Marjorie (ode to her grandmother). No Body, No Crime has an interesting country sound (as opposed to Cowboy Like Me, which I didn't really care for). The two collaborations with the National (Coney Island) and Bon Iver (Evermore) are decent but could use more integration (don't feel truly collaborative but a bit pieced together). Taylor Swift is super talented and this is a good, albeit imperfect, effort.

So here’s another album from the new edition of the book. This came out in 2020 and not only is it not one of the best pop albums of that year it’s not even Taylor Swift’s best album from that year. She released two albums in 2020, with Evermore being the second album and Folklore coming out earlier in the year. I think Folklore is a much better album but this is what we have to work with so… Lyrically this album is pretty good. I mean most of it is your typical pop love song (and lost love song) stuff, but the world will never run out of those and she does do them well. Favorites are “Champagne Problems”, “’This the Damn Season”, and “No Body, No Crime” but there is some filler on here. I don’t think the album is as strong from “Cowboy Like Me” to the end. This is only a 3-star for me.

é melhor do que a maioria do pop atual mas nada novo, certamente tem 1001 albuns melhores

"My picture was in your wallet?" What the heck is a wallet? But her voice is so smooth, engaging, soothing...

Pretty and peaceful. Very approachable and songs like willow and no body, no crime are exceptional. Had a great time listening to this multiple times.

Marvellous

A lot of the songs just mushed together. Folklore was better

Twice warmed over leftovers that weren’t great at all to begin with….

Little too new country sound for me.

абсолютно великолепно. нежно, мягко и с любовью. добавил себе и точно буду слушать.

Очень добрый и грустный альбом. Да, это не стадионная тейлор свифт, но она не менее прекрасна в своей лирике и аранжировках Champagne Story - прекрасная песня о расставании, прям в сердечко Алкоальбом: разговоры с подружкой с просеко

О, нифига, альбом 2020 года... мы постепенно возвращаемся в наше время? Вспоминаем всё, что я говорил про Lorde и её похожесть на сию даму. Я тогда и не слушал особо много песен, перед тем как сказать такое, чисто факты из вики. Но как же я был прав, чёрт возьми. В общем песенки под пианинку меня особо и не зацепили по вышеназванной причине, я уже наслушался. Поэтому было интересно услышать что-то другое. Например, в no body, no crime была попытка в кантри. Но оно как-то так напыщенно попсово звучит... Лирика центральное место здесь занимает, но блин, почему она вся как будто про неразделенную любовь... это травма какая-то? Короче я не знаю, я колеблюсь в оценке. С одной стороны, звучит это шикарно, в продакшн здесь вкладывались колоссально. С другой стороны - я испытываю какое-то отвращение к этой музыке из-за вот этой однообразной лирики. Пусть будет 2.5->3/5. Но это почти незаслуженная тройка. Просто меня кажется обвинят в двойной игре, после того, как я восхвалял Лорд и так прошёлся по Тэйлор Свифт.

Женский вокал под пианинку конечно круто, но, блять, какая же это нудятина. Прослушал в 3 подхода. 2+

Liked this significantly more than I thought I would. This is the most thoughtful and least pop-y I've heard her, and it led to a pretty good album. Favorite track: long story short

First intro to Taylor Swift - what so stood out were her lyrics. Got a knack for conversational connection

Not unpleasant as background music, but also not interesting in any way. Swift is a good singer, but the songwriting on this album (the only songs by Taylor Swift I've ever heard, apart from 2-3 radio hits) is pretty vapid and meaningless. I don't mind it, but have no reason to listen to it. Why is it on here?

Like a lot of modern pop music it feels bland

I'm not someone who pays attention to lyrics, which I think works in this album's favour. The few times I tuned in it seemed to be fairly derivative vapid nonsense. It does sound pleasant though, so I guess it's a 3 stars. At times I even thought it might be a 4, but I think the vocals are a bit weak in places.

Let’s put things on the table: I’m the last person Swift thinks of when she creates her music. A clear case of agreeing to disagree.

Nice album, lots of lockdown nostalgia, but I agree, it's not quite Folklore is it

Honestly her lockdown albums are my favourite but it is no folklore

I'm surprised this one made the cut over folklore, but both of these albums marked a fantastic turning point for Taylor and really solidified her versatility as a songwriter. There are a couple of weaker songs in the middle which hold this down slightly, but it's still a great record

kinda surprised she only has 2 albums on here just not a real big fan this was kinda boring

This is the musical equivalent of Kelly Hoppen design. It’s all magnolia with a hint of buttermilk. It’s innocuous and easy to listen to. I must confess I’d never listened to a Taylor Swift album in its entirety until now. I quite like the singles, but I think I got bored of every song being an exposé of a past boyfriend. I like the fact that these are little vignettes and poetic stories that are not always about her. But every one seems to blend into the last. A couple stood out: Marjorie and Tis the Damn Season, also Tolerate It. These are clever ditties but I’m not sure how soon I’ll ever want to return to them. I know her songwriting is celebrated, but I just tolerate it.

Taylor is a great story teller. Her music is very accessible but can drift into the background not holding my attention. I like the production of this album.

She’s a great lyricist. I was interested in almost all of the stories told in these songs. Standouts include ‘Willow’, ‘No body no crime’ (ah, HAIM), ‘Cowboy Like Me’ (with Marcus Mumford), and ‘Coney Island’ with The National. I’m not fond of the song with BonIver on this album, although I love the song ‘Exile’ that he sings on in her Folklore album. I thought the mixture of musical styles in Closure didn’t work. And the songs with girls’ names were not my favorites.

While only a Swiftie by proxy, I am familiar enough with Taylor's catalog to know this is a curious choice for inclusion in the 1001 list. Sylvia, the #2 fan in the house, suggested that Folklore would have been a better choice, though even that seems like it wouldn't have made the top three in the rankings had he been the one to choose. All that said, I enjoyed the album, and while I wasn't quite at a 4, considering I rated Pet Sounds at a 3 and liked this album considerably more, I couldn't rate it the same. This whole system has its flaws, many of which I bring to the table. So... the album... certainly a bit samesy from front to back, which detracts from the overall experience, but I appreciate that Taylor and company set out to make a particular flavor of record, and they didn't stray. The album sounds great, and there really isn't a bad track in the lot. Standouts for me included "'tis the damn season" (snarl) and "no body, no crime." I may never be a true diehard fan, but that doesn't mean TSwift doesn't bring the goods.

As I listened to this, I started wondering why Lana Del Rey's Chemtrails album appealed to me so much more than this one. They're both slow and depressing. But I think LDR's songs are more interesting and her singing has more dynamic and stylistic range. I mean, there's nothing bad about this album. I definitely not my jam, but I've enjoyed albums in this project that aren't my jam. There just has to be something striking about them. Nothing really stood out to me. I will say, that even though TS doesn't do anything particularly interesting with her voice, she avoids the over-emoting and vocal fry that so many current singers do. She trusts her songwriting enough to let that speak for her. So I like that about her. And there are TS songs I enjoy. But overall my experience with this was that it was pretty bland and there wasn't enough variety to keep me interested. Also, I was thinking that other duet she does with Bon Iver was on this album (Exile) and I kept waiting for that one to show. Nope. How to give this a rating, though? As far as albums I will listen to, this gets a 2. As far as Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die, this gets a 2. As far as being a pretty decent album for people who like this sort of thing, I guess it's a 4.

I will forever walk in any offshoot of Taylor’s Folklorian woods and listen to all the stories forevermore

Well - this was a new thing. Never listened to the T Schwizzle. Pop music is made differently. Vocals are right on top of the mix - it's Taylor and her backing band - though in this case the backing band includes some indie superstars rather than a hit factory. She's telling a story with all her heart, but it all sounds very contrived. Like a Big Mac but on a nicer plate, it's an album for easy consumption and mass market. I could happily put it on whilst cleaning the house just to drown out the sound of the vacuum cleaner.

Taylor's a gifted songwriter, that's not in doubt. She can spin words and craft a meaningful song better than most contemporary artists. But I've always thought this album was missing something that made it 'catch.' It's not boring; I think saying that would be too derisive. It is, however, an album I forget exists, and one that I can't name any songs off of. I feel like there could have been a better mix of lyrics and strong instrumentals. As it stands, the instruments feel really secondary; they don't add a lot, and as a result this just feels like spoken poetry. Warm with feelings of a soft, quiet fall day, this album evokes certain feelings that are important to note. I'm just not sure that it's one of the best albums to come out of 2020. Maybe one of the most popular, I guess, but not the best.

Better than I expected, not for me though

Fast food music

It was an interesting listen. Not sure I would return to it but I appreciate it for what it is. Impressive for someone who has been so pop focused to shift like this. 3.5/5

So boring and terrible person. How can this be on this list ? Production is solid ad some songs are catchy but I could definitely have died without listening to this. I'm so tired of these multimillionaires complaining about how hard their life is...

She seems like she's able to do better, but she doesn't, instead she goes for a bland, commercial sound.

Not a Swiftie but this album is very well produced and balanced. Same with Lorde, i usually don't like storytelling lyrics but this album Swift doesn't grind my gears as much

Boring, white girl music.

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.