On February 4, 2024, Taylor Swift shocked everyone when she announced her next album, The Tortured Poets Department at the Grammys, as she accepted the award for album of the year for her album Midnights. Fans had been speculating about an announcement at the award show but were shocked by the announcement of a new album.
The album, which came out April 19th, 2024, at midnight was then followed by a double album release of The Anthology at two am. Swift announced it by writing on social media, “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs.”
The original album begins with “Fortnight” which features Post Malone on the track. It is the first radio single off the album, and it has a slower more methodical sound with synth beats in the background. This song also includes the famous “I love you, it’s ruining my life,” lyric that Swift has put both on her vinyl, and cd. Overall, it is a fun song but I’m a little disappointed with the amount Post Malone sings. He does wonderful back-up singing and has a little part on the bridge, but I would’ve liked to hear him more in this song.
Track 4, “Down Bad” is a major stand out on the album for me. The saxophone intro itches my brain in a way no music has before. This song is about a breakup and not having
someone in your life anymore, but the fun and heavy beat makes it great to dance to despite its subject.
Track 6, “But Daddy I Love Him” is an interesting sound, the music is freeing and flowy and Swift for the first time in a song of hers breaks the fourth wall with the lyrics, “Now I’m runnin’ with my dress unbuttoned/Scrеamin’, “But, Daddy, I love him”/I’m havin’ his baby/No, I’m not, but you should see your faces” This song contains a lot of themes of rebellion and Swift owning what she wants despite what others think.
“Florida!!!” Featuring Florence + the Machine which is track 8 is another great song off the album, I love the drums on this song so much. It is probably the grungiest song on the album, and it has such an interesting sound. I love Florence’s voice; I’ve never really listened to her before but certainly will be after this song. For a song with Florence as a feature I feel like we got to hear a lot of her voice which is something that Swift has struggled with in songs recently, so it was a very nice change.
Track 13, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” is my favorite song on the album as of right now. It’s such a fun bubbly track and the sound of the music gives a 1989 feel but is combined with some heartbreaking lyrics, “ I’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday every day/I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like the plague/I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it’s an art/You know you’re good when you can even do it with a broken heart” This song has major ties to the beginning of the Eras Tour amidst Swift’s breakup with long term boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. Fans saw Swift struggling to sing some of the songs on her tour, but she did indeed fake it until she made it and pulled through for her fans. The lyric video having Eras Tour clips and the beginning of the song sounding like her in-ears seemingly confirms this theory.
Overall, TTPD has a great variety of different styles of songs that all meld together to create a beautiful album. While on the first listen, they did sound more similar than songs on Swift’s other albums I think that once you fully immerse yourself in this album it is an amazing lyrical and musical masterpiece, and you realize the songs are all very different, but stick to a common theme. With Swift having just added it to the Eras Tour setlist the public hype will not be dying down anytime soon. I’d give it a 4/5 stars and recommend everyone to listen to it. You can stream it everywhere that you find your music.