“Midnights” is Taylor Swift’s revival era

Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album “Midnights” is filled with raw emotion and beautiful songwriting. Following her rerecording of “Red” and her sister storytelling albums “Folklore” and “Evermore,” “Midnights” is Swift’s first autobiographical album in the last three years.

With “Midnights,” Swift delves deeper into ideas of self- hatred and failed relationships, creating a vulnerable yet casual album for her fans to enjoy. Her lyricism, combined with primarily classic synths and slow rhythms, serves to create a nostalgically romantic album.

The upbeat nature of “Anti- Hero” contrasts with the song’s deeper meanings. In this poignant piece, Swift cleverly comments on her insecurities and everything that she seems to

hate about herself. This message is made clear with lyrics like “I’m the problem, it’s me,” as Swift portrays a relatable image of self-hatred. “Anti-Hero” allows Swift to truly connect with her audiences, as the issues that she portrays in the song encompass more than just her celebrity struggles.

“Snow on the Beach,” on the other hand, was a widely anticipated track on the album, as Swift had teased that the song would feature Lana Del Rey. Although the song still comes through with a clear, romantic message — the beauty of two people simultaneously falling in love with each other — the collaboration was rather unsatisfying. Del Rey is featured mainly as background vocals, and even then, her voice has been heavily edited. Despite the song’s quality, it still disappoints as the collaboration failed to stand out.

“Vigilante Sh*t” differs from the other songs’ mellow beats, as Swift starts with a bolder sound. The first line establishes the sinister yet sassy mood of the song, as she sings “Draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man.” The song touches upon the idea of revenge on one’s ex, and I enjoyed how Swift used a heavy synth beat to accompany the idea of her brazenly casting off her lover.

“Midnights” shows Swift’s maturation as an artist. The album features songs that albeit lacking cohesion, beautifully convey Swift’s heartbreak and pain through the ups and downs of her life. As the songs recount her struggles, Swift provides her fans with the opportunity to go on that journey along with her. “Midnights” is an album that is almost introspective, but its reflectional manner makes it another stunning work for Swift’s discography. Ω