A much-anticipated album ends up with more lows than highs
Let me preface this review with this: Midnights will likely win many awards and be one of Taylor’s best-selling albums. With that said, I found this album to be very underwhelming.
I’d describe this album as a disappointing release from the most anticipated album of the year with several incredible songs.
Taylor Swift again demonstrates her masterful ability to write songs, yet the production was disappointing. A concept album surrounding “13 sleepless nights” according to Swift’s Instagram, she mixes synth, almost techno sounds with the traditional pop sound. While I was not a fan of the album overall, there were several songs standing out to me.
“Lavender Haze” has a fiery start and gives a good feeling for the rest of the album. Yet, as the songs play, I keep expecting to hear a dramatic change in tone, an exaggerated difference in lyrics, or really anything to make the album stand out.
Songs like “Anti-Hero”—the most popular song on the album with 351 million plays on Spotify—felt forced with a chorus that sounded like it would be overplayed after the fourth time. Perhaps the blame lies with Swift’s marketing which created so much hype around the record that it felt as though the album would be a disappointment no matter what happens.
That said, there were a few great songs on the record.
It’s hard to beat “Snow on the Beach” with Swift singing in a breathy tone about mutual love. Her lyrics were so honest in this song: my favorite verse was:
I can't speak afraid to jinx it
I don't even dare to wish it
But your eyes are flying saucers from another planet.
In this way, “Snow on the Beach” feels like it belongs being played at night when the stars are out and the Aurora Borealis is visible.
“Lavender Haze” feels perfect and simple, with the echoing beat masterfully done to match Taylor’s tone. The tempo feels perfect and the lyrics fit well, as she talks about the pressures of criticism. I really thought this album would be something special when she croons “Meet me at midnight…” before the echoing backtrack kicks in.
Still, “You’re On Your Own Kid,” with a simple melody reminiscent of her Reputation era, features Swift reflecting on the effort she put into someone just to feel lonely. It’s easily my favorite song on the album because of its incredible replay value and timeless chorus.
Midnights by no means is a bad album, yet the hype surrounding it is misplaced. The lyrics sound heartfelt and poetic, yet the composition is not there on every song. The overproduction in Midnights has been an issue with pop in the music industry, showing in albums such as Harry’s House and Dawn FM.
In short, the highlights were amazing but everything else felt meh.